E-paper Pakistantoday Islamabad 18th Nov, 2011

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United States here to stay, Obama tells Asia

1996 World Cup semi final was fixed, claims Kambli

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vol ii no 143 32 Pages islamabad — Peshawar edition

‘Memo’ gave US boots on ground option in Pakistan ISLAMABAD SHAIQ HUSSAIN

The ‘memo’ allegedly sent by President Asif Ali Zardari through Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz to the United States administration seeking its help to prevent a military coup against his government assured Washington that Pakistan’s nuclear security system would be made “transparent” and, in case of need, the American military boots would be allowed on Pakistani soil.

The memo controversy started when Ijaz alleged in a Financial Times column last month that “a senior Pakistani diplomat” had asked him for assistance in getting a memo from President Asif Ali Zardari to the top US military official at the time, Admiral Mike Mullen. Though the presidency and the foreign office denied that any such memo had been sent, the episode strained the civil-military relations with subsequent disclosures by Ijaz. Ijaz had written that Zardari feared a military takeover following the US raid in Abbottabad on May 2 in which Osama bin Laden was killed, and wanted Washington to prevent an army coup. “The new national security team will eliminate Section ‘S’ of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) charged with maintaining relations to the Taliban, Haqqani network, etc. This will dramatically improve relations with Afghanistan,” the memo said. Ijaz said the memo was delivered to Admiral Mullen at 2pm on May 10.

An official who wished to remain unnamed said the memo also contained some other alarming lines that had created ripples in the military circles. “The memo assured the Obama administration that a viable and transparent nuclear security system will be put in place by Pakistan,” he said, adding that this suggested that Pakistan did not have a credible system in place.

He said the military leaders now wondered whether some elements in the ruling circles in Islamabad believed that the present security system of Pakistan’s nuclear programme was not transparent.

“The military leaders are deeply concerned about this,” he said. He said there was also an assurance in the memo that the US military boots would be allowed on the ground in Pakistani in case it was demanded by Washington. continued on Page 04

more on memo controversy | Pages 04 & 24

Friday, 18 november, 2011 Zul-Haj 21, 1432

Zardari succeeds in calming MQM chagrin President assures MQM delegation PPP’s cooperation with the party will continue

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ISLAMABAD

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STAFF RePORT

S former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza once again ignited a situation that brought the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s relations with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to the brink, President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also co-chairman of the PPP, assured his coalition partners on Thursday that their cooperation would continue for the welfare of the people of Sindh, the country and the democratic process.

Zardari sought to placate the MQM in a meeting with a delegation of the party comprising Overseas Pakistanis Minister Dr Farooq Sattar, Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri and Haider Abbas Rizvi, who called on him to express their concern over Dr Mirza’s latest tirade

against the MQM,.

What disturbed the MQM was that Dr Mirza had been given official protocol when he left for London on Wednesday to make potentially explosive disclosures about MQM chief Altaf Hussain. Mirza also visited the British House of Lords to brief them on his allegations against Hussain.

Though Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon also travelled on the same flight as Mirza, he dissociated himself from the former home minister’s visit and returned to Pakistan within 24 hours.

His sojourn had created unrest among the PPP top brass and it was learnt that the president had summoned him to Islamabad for an explanation.

Briefing reporters on the meeting, Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that speaking on behalf of the delegation, Dr Sattar conveyed to the president the concerns of the MQM

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari meets an MQM delegation at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday. Online about the statements and actions against their party by some elements associated with the PPP. The president assured the MQM delegation that the PPP valued its partnership with the MQM for the welfare of the people of Sindh, the country and for the cause of democracy and that the two allies’ partnership would continue in the future as well.

The president said Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had also addressed a press conference this morning spelling out the party’s policy and, as president of PPP Sindh, had also taken disciplinary action in this regard against some party members.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik also stood up in support of MQM chief Altaf Hussain saying the PPP was with him and any uncivilised remarks against him would not be tolerated.

ISLAMABAD The Supreme Court told the Reshma rental power company on Thursday to return by Friday (today), with markup, the Rs 2 billion that it took as mobilisation advance around two-and-a-half years ago for the Reshma Rental Power Project (RPP) because it failed to work according to the agreement.

A two-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain was hearing a suo motu case along with two identical petitions filed by Federal Housing Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) MNA Khawaja Muham-

related story | Page 03

Mirza gives proof to Scotland Yard against Altaf LonDon ONLINe

LONDON: Former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza reacts during a press conference at the House of Lords on Thursday.

Lord Nazir Ahmad is also seen in the picture. ONLINE

Reshma RPP to return Rs 2b today MASOOD ReHMAN

Talking to reporters outside Parliament House, he said Hussain was a democracy-loving person, adding that any negative remarks against him would not be tolerated. “There is no room for uncivilised norms in politics and the politicians should respect one another,” he said.

Commenting on the recent suicide blast in Karachi, Malik said two suicide attackers had been identified and one belonged to Punjab while the other was from southern Sindh. He said the brother of one of the attackers, who was a police sub-inspector, had been arrested. He stopped short of naming the organisation behind the attack, however, saying he would disclose it at the appropriate time. He also announced Sitara-eShujaat for the two policemen killed in the Karachi suicide blast.

mad Asif against alleged corruption in the award of RPP contracts.

The court told the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to produce details of reference tariff and generation tariff of the RPPs by Friday (today). The court said since the amount was paid in US dollars, it should be paid back in the same currency, with markup.

The court said legal action would be taken against the company’s executives if it failed to pay back the money within the stipulated time. The court noted that the government had paid this sum to the company over two years ago by getting a loan from a bank on 16 percent markup.

Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for Reshma, told the court that his client had returned Rs 2.5 billion. Justice Hussain

then pointed out that Rs 4.5 billion were paid in advance, thus markup was also due on the sum.

He said it was astonishing that the company was paid such a huge amount about 30 months ago, however no one bothered to ask the company why it was not producing the electricity it was paid to produce. The chief justice noted that NEPRA, which was a national institution, had also pointed out that rules and regulations were violated in the deal of RPPs. He said the authorities concerned were asked by NEPRA to review the deal of the RPPs, however no heed was paid towards the matter.

The chief justice observed that billions of rupees were paid in advance to the rental power companies, however less than 100 megawatts of electricity was

being produced by them. He said the court would take action against the people who caused huge losses to the national exchequer through the deal.

HAYAT: The chief justice said the credit of recovering over Rs 7 billion from the rental power companies would go to Faisal Saleh Hayat. In his arguments, Hayat criticised the role of NEPRA, stating that though the counsel for NEPRA had admitted now that the contracts of RPPs were not transparent, his department had never objected to the project during that time.

He suggested that independent power producers (IPPs) should be encouraged to overcome the power shortage instead of relying on RPPs, but unfortunately the government was not paying the dues of the IPPs.

Former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza has handed over ‘evidence’ against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain to Scotland Yard, media reports said on Thursday.

Mirza, along with Lord Nazir Ahmed, met officials of the anti-terrorism branch of Scotland Yard in a police station in Western London. Mirza provided documented evidence to the Scotland Yard officials against the MQM leadership in the Imran Farooq murder case as well as other cases.

Later on, he told reporters he had offered assistance in the Farooq murder case, which had been accepted by Scotland Yard. He said his meeting with Scotland Yard officials had been very productive. “I have provided them new information which they didn’t have earlier,” said Mirza.

Mirza said he would not return to Pakistan until Altaf Hussain was arrested by British police.

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02 News

Friday, 18 November, 2011

ISLAMAbAd

Today’s

Islamabad to get its own ‘Hyde Park’ soon

NewS

wORLd vIew

‘Urban Punjab to face worse dengue swarms next year’ Israel’s secret Iran attack plan: electronic Warfare

Quick look

Story on Page 08

Story on Page 10

Story on Page 15

PML-N, MQM stage separate walkouts over memo, Mirza PML-N says Zardari’s act of sending memo to US military against Pakistan’s sovereignty g MQM says party organised massive rallies in support of president, but government sent Zulfiqar Mirza to London with protocol

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ISLAMABAD

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STAFF RePORT

MID severe criticism of the government by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vis-à-vis the secret memo allegedly sent by President Asif Ali Zardari to the US administration, the PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party’s coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), staged separate walkouts from the National Assembly on Thursday to register their protests against “bad-governance” and “the government’s protocol to Zulfiqar Mirza” respectively.

Speaking on a point of order, PMLN MNA Khurram Dastagir said President Zardari’s act of sending a memo to the US military was against Pakistan’s sovereignty. “Now Mullen has confirmed the memo,” he said, demanding the government tell the whole truth about the memo issue to the nation.

Tasneem Siddiqui of the PML-N said last night former chairman US joint chiefs of staff committee Mike Mullen had acknowledged that he had received Mansoor Ijaz’s memo but he never paid any attention to it.

“This was another insult to Pakistan as US officials said he never con-

sidered a letter from Pakistan attention worthy,” she said.

Leader of the Opposition in the national Assembly Nisar Ali Khan lashed out at the government saying that it had sponsored an anti-PML-N protest demonstration of labour unions in front of the Parliament House.

He said the PML-N was opposing Industrial Relations Act legislation by the assembly as it was the provincial subject and the federal legislation on the subject could only be limited to Islamabad Capital Territory.

Nisar said it was the first time in the history of the country that a sitting minister was leveling serious charges of corruption against the government. “He [Faisal Saleh] should have the moral courage to disassociate himself from the government which he is calling a thief,” he said.

He said a senator of the ANP had also pointed out massive corruption in the National Highway Authority.

The opposition leader also objected business of the government saying that he raised issue of shortage and black marketing of urea in the House on Wednesday and the prime minister promised that the minister concerned would be available on Thursday for reply but the minister was absent.

“Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said the government conveyed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to adopt peaceful means to tackle the issue of terrorism but according to foreign as well as local media, President Zardari promised the US to take stern action against the Haqqani Network,” Nisar said.

He said cronies of government officials were looting PIA, Pakistan Railways, gas, the NHA and costing the public treasures Rs 1 trillion but the government was not doing anything.

Nisar said before the start of each session of the House, the government should present an agenda for the welfare of people. “We will support all peoplefriendly policies of the government but oppose anything which will be against their (peoples) interest,” he added.

When Interior Minister Rehman Malik walked in front of the opposition leader during his speech, Nisar asked the chair to teach parliamentary etiquettes to the minister.

Meanwhile, the MQM also walked out of the session protesting against sending former Interior Minister Sindh Zulfiqar Mirza to London with protocol.

On a point of order, Haider Abbas Rizvi said his party organised massive rallies in support of President

Zardari in Karachi, but the government in Sindh dispatched Mirza, who blamed the MQM of killings, to London with protocol.

Responding to the opposition’s criticism of the memo issue, PPP MNA Fauzia Wahab said President Zardari had written no secret letter and raising such an issue by the opposition and the media was damaging unity of the country.

She said Mansoor Ijaz, who claimed handing over a letter to Mullen was neither a diplomat nor part of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry or the government.

“The issue of letter is nothing but a plot aiming at destruction of the unity of Pakistan,” she said.

Speaking on a point of order, PMLN MNA Rana Tanveer criticised the PPP-led government for constituting parliamentary committees on various issues without implementing their recommendations.

Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah said the incumbent government was making all out efforts to provide maximum relief to the masses. He said a parliamentary committee on energy related issues was working to resolve the issue and almost all committees concerned met on a daily basis.

Scores protest against PML-N for opposing renewal of IR Ordinance ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

In what seemed to be a tit-for-tat reply to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) attempts to exploit political issues, the federal government on Thursday allowed hundreds of workers of various labour unions to enter the capital’s Red Zone to protest outside the Parliament House against the PMLN for opposing the renewal of Industrial Relations Ordinance.

Hundreds of workers of various departments, including CDA, Habib Bank, WAPDA and several labour department chanted slogans against the PML-N, particularly its parliamentarian Zahid Hamid, for what they called anti-labour approach amidst slogans of “Jiyay Bhutto”.

As PML-N leader and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Mahtab Abbasi tried to enter the Parliament House, the protestors stopped his car and chanted slogans against his party.

The security officials were also surprised to see a large number of protestors entering the Red Zone without any resistance.

However, the protestors dispersed peacefully when they heard the National Assembly had given effect to the renewal of the ordinance which pertains to the welfare of the labour class.

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

FOReIgN NewS

ARtS & eNteRtAINMeNt

IAeA seeks to send high-level mission to Iran

‘Katrina spends hours in front of the mirror’ Pakistan aim to get back to winning ways

SPORtS

News 03 COMMeNt MQM’s nemesis: Now in London

Power crisis: It’s a gift that keeps giving.

ejaz Haider says: While Pakistan suffers: Civilian supremacy won’t come in a day.

Agha Akbar says: Political storm brewing?: Pakistan’s politics and its twists and turns.

Hassaan Ghazali says: Unnaturally yours: The CNG buses fiasco…

Story on Page 19

Story on Page 17

Story on Page 20

Articles on Page 12-13

Home district of PM amongst poorest in country

KARACHI: A pilgrim waiting for the door to open at the shrine of Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi. Online

Sindh CM suspends Pitafi, warns Memon KARACHI

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ONLINe

FTER intense pressure from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said on Thursday that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had nothing to do with Zulfiqar Mirza’s acts.

In bid to disassociate the PPP from Mirza’s move against the MQM, the Sindh chief minister announced the suspension of MPA Imdad Pitafi from the party, saying it was “a message for friends”.

Shah told reporters here that Sharjeel Memon was immediately called back from London and President Asif Ali Zardari had summoned him for questioning. He said the president would decide Memon’s political future, adding that it was a clear message for the MQM that the PPP would continue its alliance with them at any cost.

Shujaat assures support

IslAmAbAd: Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday assured the prime minister that his party would continue to extend full cooperation to the government to strengthen democracy and the federation.

“We are with you through thick and thin,” a press release issued from the PM House quoted Shujaat Hussain as saying. Shujaat called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the Prime Minister House and congratulated him on his successful visits to Russia and the 17th SAARC Summit in Maldives. STAFF RePORT

Memon distances himself from Mirza KARACHI ONLINe

Distancing himself from former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s move against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement leadership, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said on Thursday that he had come to London on a private visit and was not accompanying Mirza.

Speaking to reporters on his arrival at Karachi airport, Memon said it was a coincidence that Mirza was also traveling on the same plane. The minister said he came back immediately on the chief minister’s call as his visit was perceived the wrong way. He said he was only answerable to his party leadership.

SC gets sanctioned strength, 4 judges join IslAmAbAd: The Supreme Court (SC) got its sanctioned strength of 17 after four new judges took oath on Thursday. Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry administered the oath. The oath taking ceremony held at the SC building was attended by SC judges and other law officers. The judges who took oath are Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Athar Saeed.

PHC CJ oath: Meanwhile, KP Governor Barrister Masood Kausar administered oath to Justice Dost Muhammad Khan as Peshawar High Court chief justice in a ceremony held at the Governor’s House. STAFF RePORT

IslAmAbAd: The district-wise number of beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) suggests that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani’s home district Multan is amongst the poorest districts in the country, besides Thatta and Muzaffargarh.

According to a written reply submitted in the National Assembly by Minister Incharge of the Cabinet division on Thursday, Thatta takes the lead jointly viz-a-viz the number of beneficiaries of the programme and pending cases taking the tally to 196,867 followed by Multan with the number reaching up to 196,486 cases and Muzaffargarh with 172,524 cases out of the total 5.81 million beneficiaries of the programme across the country.

In Multan, Thatta and Muzaffargarh, 119,612, 98,927 and 127,725 persons are benefiting from BISP respectively and 76,874, 97,940 and 44,799 cases are pending due to nonavailability of the Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC). The minister incharge of the Establishment Division told the House that out of the total policy actions suggested in the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, 35 have been implemented and 26 were under implementation. He said the action plan had been divided into four thematic areas — constitutional, political, administrative and economic Matters. The reply further said that all the six constitutional actions have been implemented. Out of the five political actions, two have been implemented while three are under implementation. Out of the total 16 administrative actions suggested in the package, he said, 9 have been implemented while 18 economic actions have so far been implemented out of the total 34. TAHIR NIAZ

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04 News

Friday, 18 November, 2011

Qureshi embarks on secret visit to UAe ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

A day after resigning from the National Assembly and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi went on an unannounced visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday night.

After announcing his resignation in Islamabad on Monday evening, Qureshi left for Multan the next morning and came back to the capital in the night and departed for the UAE, where he is expected to stay until November 22.

Qureshi’s quiet visit has triggered speculations in the capital. Rumours of a reconciliation attempt by mutual friends of Qureshi and Presi-

dent Zardari in the Emirates’ royal family are echoing in some circles in Islamabad.

However, individuals close to the former PPP leader have rebutted such reports, claiming that Qureshi’s decision of quitting the party was irreversible.

The disgruntled PPP stalwart has so far not an-

nounced plans for his future political affiliation, despite strong temptations from the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) led by cricket legend Imran Khan.

Despite Khan’s claim that Qureshi would announce his PTI membership on November 27 in a public procession at Khotki.

The PML-N leaders hope that Qureshi, once a member of their party, would revert to them. There are also reports that Qureshi was in a regular contact with Murtaza Bhutto’s widow Ghinwa Bhutto and his children Zulfiqar Junior and Fatima Bhutto, and was trying to inflict political damage on Zardari by joining PPP-Shaheed Bhutto.

Zardari likely to announce decision on Haqqani today Controversy surrounding ‘president’s secret message’ to US authorities may end with envoy’s removal from office g

ISLAMABAD SHAIQ HUSSAIN

T

HE fate of Ambassador Hussain Haqqani is likely to be sealed today (Friday) as President Asif Ali Zardari has convened an important meeting of Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Core Committee meeting in which apart from other vital matters the “memo controversy” will also be discussed.

As the president holds discussions with senior party leaders on ambassa-

dor Haqqani’s issue, Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is also likely to call on Zardari once again on a controversy surrounding a secret memo allegedly sent by the presidency through a PakistaniAmerican businessman Mansoor Ijaz to Obama administration seeking help to prevent possible military coup against the PPPled government after the May 2 raid by US forces in Abbottabad in which Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed.

“Ambassador Haqqani,

ISLAMABAD MASOOD ReHMAN

AtC acquits Sufi Muhammad’s 3 sons SWAt APP

An anti terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday acquitted three sons of the chief of the banned outfit Tanzeem Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) Maulana Sufi Muhammad.

Judge Asim Imam acquitted Abdullah, Abdur Rehman and Fazlullah, who were charged by Saidu Sharif police in treason, terrorism and murder cases after the prosecution failed to prove its case on February 16, 2008.

Police officials however said the accused were only acquitted in cases registered against them by Saidu Sharif police station and were in custody in other cases.

and who else was involved in it.

An official believed that with ambassador Haqqani leaving his post, the tense relations between the civilian authorities and the military leadership were also likely to lessen.

He said the core committee’s meeting would also discuss other important matters including the issue of Zulfiqar Mirza, the rise of Imran Khan as a popular leader and the opposition’s movement against President Zardari.

PMl-n has not taken decision on resignations yet

SC forms bench to hear NRO review plea on 21st Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry formed a 17member larger bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday to hear a review petition on November 21 against the apex court verdict declaring the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) unconstitutional. The bench will be headed by the chief justice. The review petition against the NRO verdict had come up for hearing before the court on April 19, 2011 and was adjourned. Thereafter, the case could not be fixed as the requisite strength of 17 members for the bench was not available.

Notices have also been issued to all concerned. Just after declaring the NRO unconstitutional on December 16, 2009, the court had ordered revival of all the cases that were disposed of under the NRO. The NRO, promulgated by former president Pervez Musharraf, granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, embezzlements, money laundering, murder, and terrorism between January 1, 1986 to October 12, 1999, the time between two states of martial law.

who is believed to have asked Ijaz to hand over the memo to former US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen, is likely to be asked to relinquish his office today (Friday) after the core committee’s meeting,” said an official here requesting anonymity.

He said the president was likely to inform the army chief about the decision on Haqqani when they met along with assurance that a thorough inquiry would be made into the memo controversy to see why that happened

SUKKUR ONLINe

RAWALPINDI: Labourers net iron rods to be used during the construction of Chandni Chowk Flyover. inP

Gilani stipulates ‘action’ against Hayat MonItoRIng DeSK During a meeting with PMLQ President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani stipulated ‘action’ against PML-Q legislator and Minister for Housing Faisal Saleh Hayat, DawnNews reported.

The prime minister said he was being pressurised by his party leadership and members to act against Hayat who petitioned a case in the Supreme Court against his own government for corruption and mismanagement in the setting up of rental power projects (RPPs.) Gilani said the housing

minister was free to carry on with the case but not before resigning from his current portfolio.

In 2009, the federal government approved RPPs for generating 2,206MW of electricity to tide over the shortfall. But the project became controversial after Hayat, a vociferous oppo-

nent of the government’s power policy, came up with serious allegations of corruption against former water and power minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

Shujaat on the other hand, assured the prime minister that he would meet and try to convince the housing minister one more time.

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has said that his party had not made a decision regarding resignation from the assemblies as yet.

Talking to reporters at the Sukkar airport, Nawaz said he would take the decision in the best interest of the nation after reviewing the entire situation. He said his meeting with Shah Mehmood Qureshi would be held on November 22. Nawaz said time had come to get rid of the Zardari government, as the rulers provided nothing except plundering, corruption and problems to the people.

“We are emphasising right from day one that democracy should be strengthened, but the exploitation of the people should not be done,” he added. He said the killing of three Hindu doctors was a highly deplorable act, but the

Hindu community should not be disappointed.

“The PML-N would take stern action against the killers.

It also raised the matter in parliament. Pakistan is the homeland of all people,” Nawaz said.

He said relief goods coming from Punjab were for all flood victims no matter what religion they followed. Nawaz said there was no writ of the government, as the rulers were busy in minting money through illegal means.

22 militants killed in Orakzai clashes KALAYA At least 22 militants were killed in clashes between Pakistani security forces and Taliban militants in a remote district of the Orakzai tribal region in the northwest,

local government officials said. There was no word on casualties from government forces.

There was no independent confirmation of militant casualties, and militants often dispute at an official accounts.

get,” he said.

PREsIdENCY bACKTRACKs: In an apparent backtracking, the Presidency denied on Thursday that it had received any letter from Haqqani offering to resign, a day after acknowledging that it had.

When asked to comment on the issue, Analyst Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi told Pakistan Today that he differed with the notion that sending a memo to Washington allegedly by the Presidency was tantamount to treason

and conspiracy against the state. “In the past, it has happened as well and one such instance was of (Punjab Chief Minister) Shahbaz Sharif’s visit to Washington in September 1999 seeking US help against a possible coup at the time,” he said.

He said the US had also cautioned against the coup in Pakistan at that time but despite that it had happened and the army took over. “My point is that the US’ role has always been large in Pakistan,” he said.

ReUTeRS

US boots on ground continued From Page 1 The official said this assurance had been extended to Washington in the memo despite the fact that the army was opposed to it tooth and nail and would never accept it.

Admiral Mullen initially denied receiving the memo from Ijaz but on Thursday his former spokesman Captain John Kirby said Mullen initially had no recollection of such a memo but was later able to track it down. He said the admiral did not find

the memo at all credible and took no note of it.

Ijaz did not name Pakistani Ambassador to Washington Hussain Haqqani as the “senior diplomat” in question, but the military authorities have conveyed to the president and prime minister that it was by all means Haqqani and it was proven by their investigations into the memo controversy.

Haqqani has offered to resign but the army leadership wanted him to return

and face an enquiry about who had asked him write a memo that according to many observers fell in the realm of treason and conspiracy against the state.

However, others differ by saying that Pakistan’s history was replete with such incidents and that US help being sought for one thing or the other could not be dubbed as treason.

“He (Haqqani) is expected to arrive in Islamabad in a couple of days. He has been asked by the presi-

dent to make it soon to Islamabad to explain his position on the memo issue,” said an official.

In an interview on Thursday, Haqqani said President Zardari would make a decision about his future. He confirmed that he would come to Pakistan in a couple of days.

Haqqani said that he had offered to resign to send a message to those trying to destabilise democracy. “The memo is just an excuse and democracy is the real tar-

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

Islamabad to get its own ‘Hyde Park’ soon PAge 08

Senate body declares drugs’ registration illegal g

directs the Health department to cancel over 1,000 licences ISLAMABAD ASMA KUNDI

W

HILE declaring more than 1,000 drugs registered after the devolution of Ministry of Health unlawful and illegal, the Senate Special Committee on Health Thursday asked the relevant department to cancel their registration.

The special committee took strict notice of the matter said the federal government could not register any drug or do any legislation on health without the approval of provincial governments as

health had become a provincial subject after the 18th Amendment.

Senator Zahid Khan said how the federal government could register such a large number of drugs in the absence of a registration authority.

Zahid Khan, while talking to Pakistan Today, said, “We raised this issue that all the working done in health sector, which is now a devolved subject, is illegal and unlawful. Therefore, all the drugs registered would be considered illegal licenses and considered spurious if are available in the market.”

“We suggested that the Drug Registration Authority (DRA) should be estab-

lished soon to address the sensitive issue and the provinces should be given equal representation in DRA.” He said they asked the federal government to review and explain that in what capacity they had sustained four health-related programmes at the national level including Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), National AIDS Control Programme, National Tuberculoses Programme and National Malaria Control Programme.

Members also recommended devolving these national health programmes to the provinces.

It is worth mentioning that after the 18th amendment when the health sector was devolved to province, there is no Drug Registration Authority but more than 1000 drugs were registered and given licenses illegally.

Requesting anonymity, an official told Pakistan Today that the issue of establishment of DRA was still pending as the lobbying to get the control of this federal autonomous body was started right after the devolution process.

He said the establishment of DRA was a unique opportunity to overhaul drug regulation in Pakistan and to plug existing loopholes in domains such as manufacturing, import and export, registration, licensing, monitoring, standard-

isation, pricing, quality control and easy availability of medicines throughout the country. But this opportunity now faced the threat of being worthless.

While giving example of India, he said India’s annual export of drugs run into billions of dollars as against only a few million by Pakistan, adding that drugs could be a potential export industry if issues like counterfeit medicines, irrational use, as well as quality and pricing issues were appropriately addressed.

“This dream can become a reality only through the induction of competitive and experienced professionals who are selected in a transparent manner and who have the vision to steer the DRA,” he said.

IHC asks top bureaucrats to explain removals IslAmAbAd: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued notices to the secretaries of the Planning Commission, Cabinet Division and Establishment Division, on a petition filed by 47 employees of the Ministry of Health against their removal through verbal orders in August. Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan held the hearing of the case.

The ministry had initiated four different programmes in which around 260 employees were working but 47 of them challenged the move in the court of law, while contending that their removal was a great injustice. On Thursday, Secretary Capital Administration and Development Division Ch Junaid Iqbal informed the court that they were not assigned the responsibilities related to the said programmes. STAFF RePORT

Food vendors proving a risk for citizens

ISLAMABAD: Residents of Jand, Attock district, protest against land grabbers outside the National Press Club. STAff PHOTO

Police capture 42 absconding outlaws ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

The capital police claimed on Wednesday to have nabbed 42 absconders wanted in various cases. A police spokesman said the arrests were made during last two weeks in separate crackdowns against outlaws.

He said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Yousuf Malik had ordered his subordinates to arrest all the proclaimed offenders from their respective jurisdictions.

The SSP had also directed all the sub divisional police officers (SDPOs) and station house officers (SHOs) to launch massive crackdown against proclaimed offenders and absconders. The spokesman said as many as 42 absconding outlaws including 11 proclaimed offenders and 31 court absconders were apprehended during the last fortnight.

CnG ‘mystery’ proves a misery for people RAWALPInDI ARSHAD ALI

Commuters in the twin cities faced great hardships on Thursday due to the shortage of public transport as a result of the CNG stations closure.

It has become a routine that the drivers of public transport vehicles do not complete their designated routes during these specific days under the pretext of gas shortage despite the fact that they charge the passengers according to diesel prices.

On the other hand, many transporters do not bring their vehicles on roads, thus aggravating the problem.

More than 40 percent public transport remained off the roads due to

non-availability of CNG. Same was the case with the taxi drivers while those, who opted to operate, overcharged the passengers.

A government employee Abdul Baqi, while waiting at a bus stop in Shamsabad, said it was difficult for them to catch a vehicle to reach their workplaces. “I am waiting for about an hour but unable to board any vehicle because of the rush,” he added.

Another citizen Naushad said the transporters were taking advantage of the CNG load shedding to fleece the passengers. “I boarded a route number 1 van from Faizabad bus stop but the conductor told me that they are only plying their vehicle up to Aabpara and not going to the Super

Market as we they are running on “petrol” due to gas load shedding”, he added. “However, the same vehicle departed for Super Market carrying new passengers to charge the double fare,” he alleged.

Earlier on night between Wednesday and Thursday, there were long queues of vehicles at the CNG stations, but the gas pressure was very low.

The commuters had to wait for a long time to get their cylinders refilled.

The citizens demanded the government to take solid steps to provide inexpensive mode of transportation and keep the economy moving. They asked the authorities concerned to reschedule the closure of CNG stations plan so that people could get relief.

RAWAlPINdI: With the advent of winter season, a large number of stallholders and shopkeepers in the city are selling unhygienic food, drinks and beverages causing abdominal diseases among the residents of Rawalpindi, while the authorities concerned are unable to check the trend.

A large number of stalls can be seen at roadside in different localities of the city selling traditional fried food like chicken soup, samosas, pakoras, french fries, jalaby, phaniyaan, boondi, cham cham, fried bread and eggs, bason laddu, patisa, halwa puri, gulgulay, kabab and mince golas. The stallholders are not following the hygiene-related rules, which are causing various diseases. They fry the traditional food in sub-standard cooking oil and in pinching heat. Flies could also be seen flying wandering around and sitting on the food items. On the other hand, the selling of unhygienic aalo chaat, dahi bhallay and gol gappay is aggravating the problem.

It is also a matter of concern that these items are prepared in filthy, unhygienic conditions in gross violation of rules. Most of the people in this business do not adopt necessary measures to maintain the quality of oil.

The use of used cooking oil and ghee for frying edibles is also going on unchecked, putting people’s health at risk in most of the markets of the town.

Most of the vendors fry edibles in used oil and do not change it despite using it for many days.

The citizens urged the authorities concerned to take notice of the situation and ensure elimination of selling of unhygienic food and drinks, as the unregulated business was flourishing with each passing day. ARSHAD ALI

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06 Islamabad

Friday, 18 November, 2011

USAId launches $45m Citizens’ voice Project ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

The US government through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on Thursday launched the “Citizens’ Voice Project”, providing $45 million in grants for initiatives designed

by Pakistani civil society organizations.

The project is aimed at fostering citizens’ engagement in policy advocacy and governance in the sectors of energy, economic growth, agriculture, education, and health. “The Citizens Voice Project is part of the United States Government’s long-term commitment to support Pakistan’s development priorities and the self-sufficiency of the country’s communities, organizations, and institutions,” said USAID’s Director for Pakistan Dr Andrew Sisson while addressing representatives of the Pakistani non-governmental organisations at the launch of the project. Through this project, the US government would issue up to 500 grants over the next three years focusing on select geographic areas and issues. In the first cycle of awards, the project will issue up to $2.6 million of grants to fund activities related to citizens’ dialogue on municipal services, energy sector reforms, and water rights. The Citizens’ Voice Project is one of several grants projects funded by USAID to support Pakistani-led initiatives throughout the country. The project is implemented by the Trust for Democratic Development (TDEA). Information about the project and the grants available can be found at www.cvpa-tdea.org.

International Men’s day tomorrow ISLAMABAD APP

International Men’s Day will be observed on tomorrow (Saturday) all over the world including Pakistan to improve men’s and boys’ health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role. For 2011 the theme for international Men’s Day is ‘boys’ with the title, “Giving Boys The Best Possible Start In Life”.

This theme asks people around the world to focus on five key challenges that boys all over the world experience in areas of health, education, family life, violence and life choices and to consider local solutions to the global problems that boys face.

ISLAMABAD: MNA Dr Donya Aziz addresses an Aurat Foundation seminar at a local hotel. STAff PHOTO

ICCI marks Global Entrepreneurship Week ISLAMABAD

T

STAFF RePORT

HE Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) along with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), Kauffman Foundation and Junior Chamber International is observing the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).

Speaking on the launching ceremony here on Wednesday, ICCI President Yassar Sakhi Butt said Pakistani youth possessed immense potential and talent that must be exploited to the maximum. He informed the gathering that the ICCI had established Entrepreneurship Development Center with the support of CIPE to provide guidance to

prospective business starters and existing businessmen in expanding their businesses. The former vice president and chairman of ICCI Young Entrepreneurship Forum, Shaban Khalid, highlighted the activities of the ICCI’s Youth Forum and said that celebration of GEW was another effort of ICCI to promote entrepreneurship culture in the country.

Brain I McCleary, the commercial counselor of the US embassy said many young people around the world shared the belief that entrepreneurship could help them realize their dreams and improving their lives. He said it was better than ever to start a business because most of the governments had made it easier. Hammad Siddiqui, the deputy country director of the CIPE

highlighted the role of the CIPE in promoting entrepreneurship and said that CIPE had been actively engaged with chambers and associations to promote entrepreneurial culture in Pakistan.

He said that due to prevailing economic situation job opportunities were shirking so there was dire need to encourage youth to enter into entrepreneurship field.

Ali Salman, the executive director of the Development Pool, Qasim Shiekh, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship director of the NUST and Jehan Ara, the NUST president also highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship on the occasion.

Key impediments to entrepreneurial culture in Pakistan were discussed by the participants.

iHC throws out petition against intelligence agencies ISLAMABAD SALMAN ABBAS

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed off on Thursday a petition filed against the director’s generals of country’s spy agencies for illegally harassing an activist of Hizb ut-Tahrir and a principal of a private school, Zaheer Khan.

The court took the decision after an assurance from the deputy attorney gen-

eral (DAG) that the petitioner would not be harassed in future. On fear of a possible abduction by the spy agencies, Zaheer Khan, had filed a petition in the IHC to avoid “any mishap” with him.

He had cited the director generals of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) and Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Islamabad as respondents in his petition.

A single member bench comprising

Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan was hearing the case in which the petitioner through his counsel, Umer Hayat Sandhu, had contended that he was running a school in the federal capital and was enjoying a good reputation but the spy agency officials were harassing him without any justification. His counsel said that Zaheer was also implicated by the police in a false case on October 17, 2009 under Section-7 11 (F), ATA, but was later ac-

quitted by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi. Deputy Attorney General Abid Raja appeared before the court on behalf of spy agencies had told the court that Zaheer was neither harassed by the intelligence agencies nor he was threatened. He stated that the petitioner had filed a case on “false assumptions”. Raja, however, assured the court that petitioner would not be harassed by the agencies in future.

IIUI conference on globalisation begins ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

A two-day international conference on ‘Globalization and its Impacts on Indigenous Cultures’ started in International Islamic University Islamabad on Thursday.

The conference was organised by Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IRD) in collaboration with Thinking Forum of the Department of English Language and Literature of IIUI and International Institute of Islamic Thoughts, (IIIT), USA. Speaking at the first day of the conference Ms Noor Amna Malik, director general (learning innovation), Higher Education Commission (HEC), said there was no other strong symbol of globalisation except the holy prophet (PBUH).

She said frequent symbols of globalisation were Face book, YouTube and other social websites, adding one could interact with the whole world within minutes through these tools.

“Pakistan should acquire the new technology to remain with the globe like India to prove that we are part of the world globalisation,” she suggested.

Renowned educationist, Dr Shahid Siddiqui, said that death of language meant death of peculiar viewpoint, identity, previous life experiments and social history. Globalisation had also affected world languages for 2,471 languages of 7,000 languages of the world were endangered owing to globalisation. IIUI President Dr Mumtaz Ahmad, Dr Sahibzada Sajid-ur Rehman, Dr Talib Hussain Sial, Dr Noor Fatima and Dr Munazza Yaqoob of the IIUI also spoke on various aspects of globalisation and its impacts.

Passage of Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill hailed g

Civil society calls for fixing loopholes in bill’s draft before its enactment in Senate ISLAMABAD ASMA KUNDI

While appreciating the passage of the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment Bill), 2011, civil society representatives demanded here Wednesday that the loopholes in the bill should be plugged before presenting it in the Senate.

They also warned that if the Senate blocked the bill, the civil society would give stage a sit-in demonstration outside

the Parliament House. Speakers expressed these views while speaking at a seminar held by the Aurat Foundation’s Legislative Watch Programme.

Dr Donya Aziz said that she and other supporters of the bill in the National Assembly and its standing committee had faced a lot of resistance.

She said many members of the Standing Committee on Law had argued that at least the punishment for forced marriages and marriage with the Holy Quran shall be lessened.

She said any amendments proposed by the senators or concerned civil society organisation would be welcomed.

She suggested that in order to make the bill “a perfect piece of legislation” the lawyers from the lower courts should also be consulted with. Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar pledged her commitment towards the cause and assured the audience that she would fully support the passage of the bill in the Senate.

She said if any amendments were suggested by the senators, the bill would

have to be be re-sent to the National Assembly to be passed again. That, she said, could further delay the passage of the bill.

Earlier Naeem Mirza, referring to the presence of Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar, said the civil society and women’s rights organisations and activist were very much anxious about the passage of the bill through Senate. Samar Minalah suggested including ‘sung-chati’, a kind of marriage similar to ‘swara’ and ‘vani’ in the list of offences the bill aimed at curbing.

Rehana Hashmi, the executive direc-

tor of the Sisters Trust, appreciated the government for the legislations being made to safeguard women’s rights.

She said the government and courts (both the high courts, lower courts and the Supreme Court) also needed to devise a strategy for the implementation on the new legislation.

Tahira Abdullah said although the passage of the bill was appreciable but there were still some loopholes in the draft of the bill that needed to be addressed before its passage by the Senate.

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

Islamabad 07

Govt’s new model of management

O

PICASSo

N 17 October 2011, Minister for Water and Power informed National Assembly that the “line losses” of Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO) and Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) have reached 40.2 per cent and 35.25 per cent, respectively. Other distribution companies in the champion’s league of power pilferage are Hyderabad at 34 per cent and Quetta at 21 per cent. Multan takes the lead among the distribution companies in Punjab with line losses of 18.3 per cent.

When Federal Minister responsible for this sector admits to such a massive hemorrhage of billable power supply, one does not expect his statement to end there. If you are idealistic, you expect a resignation to follow this admission of failure. At the very least, you expect a plan of action with specific outcomes and time lines. Minister assures us that “The government is cognisant of the situation”.

He also gives us glad tidings that the “Culture of generation and distribution companies would change”.

Meanwhile, political masters as well as NEPRA, the regulator, continue to play this game of make believe. In financial year 2010-11, for example, NEPRA prescribed a target of 16.5 per cent as cumulative line losses of all distribution companies. The actual losses were 19.6 per cent, with “healthy” growth of 7.2 per cent in PESCO, 5.8 per cent in HESCO and 3.35 in MEPCO. The story of shameful complicity and inefficiency does not end here. After having lost one fifth of this very valuable resource to theft, the remainder is billed.

Believe it or not, distribution companies fail to collect 11.5 per cent of the billed amount, which comes to a massive Rs67 billion in one year.

The bottom line is that PEPCO and its distribution companies are incompetent as well as complicit in leakage of more than 30 per cent of their revenue.

You have the right to ask, how government of Pakistan penalises the com-

Pakistan must learn from Korean development: NUSt seminar

NEPRA TARGET VS ACTUAL LOSSES FY 2010-11 COMPANIES LESCO GEPCO FESCO IESCO MEPCO HESCO QESCO PESCO TOTAL DISCOS

NEPRA TARGET

ACTUAL LOSSES

INCR/(DEC.) PERCENTAGE

12.0 per cent 10.5 per cent 10.8 per cent 9.5 per cent 15.0 per cent 28.0 per cent 18.0 per cent 28.0 per cent 16.5 PER CENT

13.2 per cent 12.1 per cent 11.2 per cent 9.8 per cent 18.3 per cent 33.8 per cent 20.8 per cent 35.2 per cent 19.6 PER CENT

-1.2 per cent -1.6 per cent -0.4 per cent -0.3 per cent -3.3 per cent -5.8 per cent -2.8 per cent -7.2 per cent -3.1 PER CENT

panies and consumers who are responsible for causing these losses? The answer is that it does not punish them. On the contrary, they are rewarded. What happens is that for the determination of tariff, the performance of most efficient distribution company is taken. Currently, this means Islamabad Electric Supply Company, which has line losses of 9.8 per cent and a recovery to billing ratio of 93.4 per cent. Tariff is worked out for IESCO and this becomes the uniform tariff for all distribution companies; the good, the bad and the ugly. The deficit this creates is picked up by the government as power subsidy. Over the three years in which the present government has been in power, nearly one trillion rupees has been poured into this bottomless pit.

Such mismanagement of generation, distribution and tariff determination; all embedded in a bedrock of corruption is more than scandalous. But unfortunately no one, not even Punjab’s Chief Minister, seems to be moved by the grinding burden which this is imposing on the middle and lower income masses. The “Khadime-ala” gets galvanized into action over trivial issues, but he is unmoved by half the industrial output of the province being lost to power shortages and loadshedding of natural gas only in the Punjab province. This has been done on the dubious plea of a constitutional provision casually sanctified by the province’s con-

NAME OF COMPANY

LESCO GEPCO FESCO MEPCO IESCO Total Punjab PESCO HESCO +SEPCO QESCO Total Others TESCO TOTAL DISCOS

BILLING (MIN RS)

2010-11 COLLECTION RECOVERY (MIN RS) PERCENTAGE

2009-10 BILLING COLLECTION (MIN RS) (MIN RS)

RECOVERY PERCENTAGE

INCR/(DECR RECOVERY PERCENTAGE

138,501 56,110 74,289 84,637 67,015 420,552 52,428

135,872 55,458 74,111 82,922 62,581 410,943 43,105

98.1 98.8 99.8 98.0 93.4 97.7 82.2

117,297 48,137 63,537 72,150 60,433 361,554 38,016

109,344 46,085 61,657 67,968 57,955 343,008 32,478

93.2 95.7 97.0 94.2 95.9 94.9 85.4

4.9 3.1 2.7 3.8 -2.5 2.8 -3.2

53,302 31,250 136,980 16,638 574,170

31,501 12,810 87,416 11,036 509,395

59.1 41.0 63.8 66.3 88.7

45,945 24,044 108,005 18,463 488,022

27,481 18,174 78,133 10,799 431,940

59.8 75.6 72.3 58.5 88.5

-0.7 -34.6 -8.5 7.8 0.2

Pakistan’s overall demand for power is estimated to reach 35,000 MW by 2015.

Every megawatt which has been added to the system over the previous three years was planned, approved and commenced during the tenure of the previous govt tion, the government is planning to make the consumers pay. A much more logical decision would be to make the distribution companies, such as FESCO and HESCO autonomous to sell power in bulk and to let them distribute and collect from consumers. The good ones will then get their efficiency dividend, while those throwing up huge losses on account of theft and inefficiency will have to pay for it.

Pakistan’s overall demand for power is estimated to reach 35000 MW by 2015, which will be more than twice of our installed dependable capacity, today. Every megawatt which has been added to the system over the previous 3 years was

planned, approved and commenced during the tenure of the previous govt. Not a single new project (other than the notorious Rental Power Projects) has been approved by the present government and this will threaten the every viability of the country in the years to come.

The terrifying fact is that no one in power seems to care. There is no sense of urgency in the concerned ministries and political circles. No mechanism has been evolved to focus and propose solutions for the grave crisis that are confronting us today. Do I see any light at the end of the tunnel? As the cliche goes, all I can see is an on rushing express train.

Zulfi’s nature paintings showcased at Tanzara Gallery

ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

Korean Alumni Association Pakistan (KAAP) arranged a seminar on “Korean Economic Development: Lessons for Pakistan” here on Thursday at National University of Science and Technology (NUST). Korean Ambassador Choongjoo Choi graced the occasion as the chief guest. The delegates threw light on rapid economic development by Korea over the years and outlined the lessons Pakistan can learn from the country.

KAAP President Dr M Ashraf Moten said that KAAP, since its inception in 2003, had been actively engaged in strengthening friendly relations and cultural bonds between Korean and Pakistani people. KAAP had been organising seminars on issues of mutual interest, cultural shows and sponsoring equipment or civil work at schools in neglected areas, he added. He thanked the ambassador and hoped Korea would continue its support. The technical session of the seminar focused on aspects like rapid industrialisation and economic development of Korea. He opined Pakistan must learn from Korean development. NUST Rector Engineer Muhammad Asghar lauded KAAP for taking steps to strengthen ties between the two countries. In the end, the chief guest thanked KAAP for organsing the seminar and reassured his support for the activities of KAAP for mutual benefits of the brotherly nations.

The seminar was attended by academicians, government officials and luminaries from private sector and students. The seminar concluded with vote of thanks by the KAAP president to all the guests.

sent through the 18th Amendment. In contrast, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa used the pretext of this provision to secure stay orders against gas curtailment in their provinces from their High Courts. Is Ministry of Petroleum is making any efforts to get such parochial orders vacated? Is Chief Minister Punjab agitated over a measure which is stifling commerce and industry in this province? Strangely enough, he is not.

During the Pak – US strategic dialogue on energy in Washington last month, the Pakistani team led by Mr Naveed Qamar, Minister for Water and Power, disclosed that Pakistan’s economy suffers a 3 to 4 per cent loss of GDP per annum due to electricity shortages and subsidies, besides the 10 per cent increase in unemployment. We only have to add this 4 per cent to our projected GDP growth of 4.2 per cent for the ongoing financial year to realise the magnitude of the opportunities which we are missing on account of our poor governance.

Our experts added that they were going to introduce some vital changes in the new tariff determination formula according to which, the government will include 100 per cent line losses in electric power tariff determination. The callous injustice and insensitivity of this planned policy initiative is appalling. Instead of deciding upon measures to curb theft and technical losses due to inefficient distribu-

BILLING, COLLECTION RECOVERY RATIO

ISLAMABAD MAHTAB BASHIR

At first glance, the 31 oil-on-canvas paintings of Lahore-based artist, Zulfiqar Ali Zulfi, look like a cache of photography because his landscape and cityscape are more than an imitation of what he sees around him.

Tanzara Gallery on Thursday opened its doors for an exquisite painting exhibition of Zulfi’s works where his maturity shines through his palette and thought process on the canvas. An element of spirituality germinates from all the four seasons he exploits masterly in his work.

He captures the presence of gentle wind, and light pouring through mist, and at times playing with orangish winter sun with his brush. His outcome in the form of landscapes and cityscapes address in multiple directions. He also gives a lot of breathing space to the viewer by painting sky in his landscapes.

The sky also is an indicator of time and season. At times it is all misty and on some canvases it is festooned with colours subtly merging into each other.

This assimilation announces the time el-

ement and the viewer can guess that it is dawn or dusk. Vast mustard and hay fields are other spectacular landscapes which cannot be overlooked by the viewer. It is strange that, except in one landscape, animal life is rare in his landscape, there are no birds, no animals, no people; not even the signs of today’s technology like electric poles, wires etc.

This imaging of nature takes the mind back to hundred years ago when life was pure and simple. Students of English literature find similarities between Thomas Hardy’s landscapes in his novel Tess of the D’Urberville when he writes about the drive of the milkman on a horse driven cart at dawn when the town is asleep and the rising sun is not showing due to the heavy mist. Zulfi’s cityscapes present a similar scenario. As compared to the landscapes, his cityscapes are full of all the elements which indicate the presence of life.

Zulfi experimented with mist three years ago and was fascinated by its romance. Enfolded in mist even the ugly appeals to the aesthetics of the artist and consequently to the viewer as well. But what Zulfi paints are scenes from the Punjab, especially Dera Ghazi Khan which is still alive in the deep down recesses of his unconscious. He was born and had his early education at Dera Ghazi Khan and then left the town at a tender age.

Friendly and a keen observer by nature, Zulfi noticed romance in mist and then he found soft light when the mist was washed away by winter rain. He felt the beauty of it and started painting the light.

These were progressions on his canvas not by design but by a natural process.

Explaining this process, Zulfi says that it is like meeting new people who leave their impressions on you in the passage of life. Some impressions you imbibe and some are forgotten with the passing time. Similar is the case with the journey of my painting; I do not know which turn it will take in future. But I am

ready to take challenges in painting, the Lahore based artist said.

Going down in his memory lane, Zulfi remembers her mother as a perfectionist.

She was rich in aesthetics. Whatever she did was the best. He recalls and says that perhaps I got the painter’s genes from her. It was just a coincidence that his brothers and sisters were good at drawing and handwriting. His eldest brother was a signboard painter. Zulfi picked up palette sensibility by watching him.

Zulfi has all the support from his wife Muniza who runs a textile business with outlets at Lahore and Karachi. She is his best critic. Muniza was his student when he was teaching art at Alhamra.

Zufi says that romance entered his landscape after his marriage with Muniza.

His children are studying at Atchison College and the family lives happily.

According to Marjorie Husain, “Zulfiqar Ali Zulfi is a painter of the landscape genre with two decades of painting to his credit. In Zulfi’s paintings it appears we are all observers. Often standing on the threshold of light, almost grisaille in his approach to the media, he is a master of chiaroscuro, mornings are

cloaked with mist, the tall trees dramatic, leafless silhouettes.”

Noshi Qadir, the gallery’s owner while talking to Pakistan Today said Zulfi is a realist, but his paintings, be they landscapes or cityscapes are more than an imitation of what is seen. He has the magic of capturing the essence of the vignette that he replicates on canvas.

Beyond realism, said Noshi, the artist understands his subject matter well - be it a rustic scene, or an urban setting, misty horizons, or cattle out in the open fields, the artist renders such images with amazing dexterity. She said Zulfi’s imagery is idyllic and delightful; he is a master of capturing seasons and times of day. In his landscapes one actually fees the breeze and smells the grass, the foggy winter morning scenes are truly cold and the sunny landscapes warm and brilliant. The artist is the recipient of the presidential Pride of Performance Award.

He has several solo and group shows to his credit and his paintings are in major collections home and abroad, Noshi said.

This exhibition will continue at Tanzara Gallery (House No. 14, Street No. 12, F7/2) till 26 November.

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08 Islamabad

Friday, 18 November, 2011

Islamabad to get its own ‘Hyde Park’ soon

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ISLAMABAD

T

KASHIF ABBASI

HE construction of a ‘Public Corner’, meant for public gathering at Fatima Jinnah Park in Sector F/9, is to completed soon and will be opened for the “protesters” of the city in next few days.

A stage and media gallery have been constructed while signboards for guiding the general public are already erected in various areas of

the city, as the district administration is working diligently on the project.

However, during a visit of the site, people gave mixed reaction on the government decision for declaring a portion of the park as ‘Public Corner’ to stage protest demonstrations.

“Some ten years ago, the spot was the first choice for those wanting a morning walk but the trend changed due to commercial activities in the park. With the addition of this

protest site, how can the people get relaxation,” said Muhammad Zameer, a regular a visitor of the park.

He strongly opposed the move, saying the Hyde Park should be established in front of the Press Club instead in a public recreational area. While supporting Zameer’s view, another visitor Ali Riaz said, “Park means a place for jogging, walking and entertainment not for staging protest demonstrations.”

“Holding protests is a right of

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people ... but demonstrations should be held in a restricted area not in a public park,” he added.

On the other hand, some visitors supported the government’s initiative for security purpose.

Currently, the Parade Avenue in front of Parliament House is a favourite place for protesters, where they stage demonstration with an aim to attract the parliamentarians’ attraction, but all the protest demonstrations would now be held at the Hyde Park after its formal inauguration.

Over the past a few years, the Fatima Jinnah Park has been in news for various commercial ventures being taken within its vast area. Currently, a parking lot of the park is being used by Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) where they provide training to young boys and girls, aspiring to get their driving licences.

It is relevant to note that after the lawyers’ movement in 2007, the trend of staging protest demonstration in Islamabad gained popularity. A contractor, Ijaz Ahmed, said if the government would not give any further instruction, the current project would be completed in next two days and formally opened for public use.

Earlier on October 20, Interior Minister Rehman Malik had directed the Islamabad administration to declare a portion of the F-9 Park as a Public Corner for using it to hold gatherings and rallies, aiming to avoid security threats and loss of business community.

Ustad Rahat FatEh - LIvE

COLLegeS / UNIveRSItIeS INteRNAtIONAL ISLAMIC UNIveRSItY 9260765 bAHRIA UNIveRSItY 9260002 NUML 9257677 QUAId-e-AZAM UNIveRSItY 90642098 ARId AgRICULtURe UNIveRSItY 9290151 FJwU 9273235 RIPHA INteRNAtIONAL UNIveRSItY 111510510 NCA RAwALPINdI 5770423 PUNJAb LAw COLLege 4421347

dAte: NOv 17 - 20, 2011 veNUe: ISLAMAbAd

dAte: NOveMbeR 06 tO 28, 2011 veNUe: KHAAS ARt gALLeRY ISLAMAbAd

dAte ANd tIMe: NOv 21, 6:00 PM veNUe: gUN & COUNtRY CLUb

In 1954, United Nation general Assembly recommended that all countries must institute the “Universal Children day” to promote the welfare of the children and protect their basic rights without any discrimination. On 20th November the UN Assembly adopted the declaration of the rights of the child.

'Impediment' by beenish Usman & Nadia tufail.

Opens on wednesday 16 November 2011 at Khaas gallery at 5:00 p.m onwards. do come and enjoy their edgy contemporary miniatures in person! bring your friends along!

Overseas event Management , etZ and UltraSpectra Presents "Rahat Fateh Ali Khan live in concert in prayer For Peace Pakistan on 21st Nov,2011

ISB pages 18-11-11_Layout 1 11/18/2011 3:22 AM Page 9

Friday, 18 November, 2011

News 09

Haqqani warns US lawmakers against restricting Pakistan aid MonItoRIng DeSK

P

AKISTAN’S ambassador to the United States has a simple argument for the lawmakers who are considering billions of dollars in aid to his country for fiscal 2012, the Congressional Quarterly said in a report.

“We just need to work together on reducing all the potential elements of hostility,” Ambassador Husain Haqqani said on Wednesday. “Why add another layer by threatening to or actually cutting off aid?”

Speaking to journalists at a breakfast organised by the Christian Science Monitor, Haqqani made it clear that Pakistan would not beg for US assistance, which totaled approximately $5 billion in fiscal year 2011. Instead, he argued that providing aid to Pakistan would benefit the

United States most of all. “From your point of view, it makes immense sense to continue to provide assistance,” he said. “US aid provides an instrument of influence for the US with Pakistani public opinion.”

But many on Capitol Hill look at the United States’ dismal standing among the Pakistani public, despite billions in assistance over the past decade, and wonder if that is really the case.

To that, Haqqani said he tells lawmakers, “Compared to what you’re spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, your assistance to Pakistan is a relatively small amount. Whether that small amount gets you what you consider to be desirable results in the short term is not as important as the effect closing it down would have.”

“Shutting it down or stopping it is likely to have an adverse effect that our relationship could do without,”

Haqqani continued. And he warned that adding strict conditions on aid, which both the House appropriations draft and Senate appropriations bill (S 1601) propose to do, would send a negative signal as well.

“Putting restrictions on aid after voting for it is always counterproductive.” Haqqani said. “It erodes good will.”

The Obama administration has expressed concern about

the proposed restrictions included in the Senate bill, even though the Senate language offers far more flexibility than the House version. In its statement of administration policy on the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, the administration wrote that it “opposes several significant changes in the bill’s certification and reporting requirements and requests a more workable solution to these requirements.”

One senior official said that the statement referred in particular to the language on Pakistan aid. The worry is that the language will “make it so difficult and so extraordinary” to meet the necessary conditions for delivering aid to Islamabad, that the “effect is that we don’t get the money”, said the official.

The conditions, however, are an outgrowth of widespread skepticism that Pakistan is working constructively with the

United States on combating terrorism. Opposition to continuing development programmes and particularly military aid for Pakistan has grown increasingly fierce in the wake of the US raid in Pakistan last spring that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. September testimony by outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm Mike Mullen that an Afghan resistance group was a “veritable arm” of Pakistan’s intelligence services further fanned the flames.

Haqqani, however, said that Washington and Islamabad “are beyond that statement, and remarks and both sides are moving forward”.

Haqqani said he regarded Mullen as “a man of tremendous integrity” but that as to “the compulsions of his remarks and his choice of words, I would let him explain that in his memoirs”.

Uet Peshawar vC elected chairman of vC’s committee PeSHAWAR STAFF RePORT

University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar Vice Chancellor (VC) Imtiaz H Gilani was elected public sector universities central and provincial vice chancellors committee chairperson on Thursday. A ballot was held from 72 public sector university VCs in lieu of the VC’s meeting held earlier to safeguard the interests of the Higher Education (HE) sector.

The VC’s committee will function under the auspices of the Higher Education Commission to assist in policy analysis and strategic research in HE sector.

It will sensitize policy makers through advocacy to better formulate national education policy; build networks with key HE organisations worldwide and improve the HE sector, critical. Gilani said he would spearhead efforts to promote Higher Education (HE). He said four percent of the national budget needs to go to education. “Investment in education is critical to deal with global and national challenges,” he said.

Qazi to lead JI march against corrupt rulers on 27th PeSHAWAR STAFF RePORT

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) will carry out a caravan on November 27 headed by former JI Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad in Nowshehra district aimed at mobilising people against the corrupt rulers.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, JI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leader Mirajuddin said the country had become victim of crises that had made life of the common people miserable, while the rulers were not interested in resolving the problems of the people as they were busy looting the national exchequer.

He said due to economic crisis, the prices of daily use items was increasing by the day, while parliament had lost its status owing to destabilising political situation in the country.

Flanked by Inayatur Rahman, senior JI leader of Nowshehra district and Jamaat Ali Shah, Miraj said the security situation was next to nothing, as US drones were constantly bombing the Tribal Areas, killing innocent people.

He said Islamic revolution was the only solution to all problems.

SHARING THe LOAD: A man and a donkey pull a cart loaded with iron bars in Multan. Online

Delay in PML-N reorganisation denting Sharifs’ armour Poor attendance at party’s Bhaati Chowk rally proof of effects of disorganisation

LAHoRe YASIR HABIB

Even after a lapse of 24 months, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is yet to complete its party reorganisation and the inordinate delay is proving to be a dent in the Sharifs’ armour.

The delay has made its inroads deep into the party’s basic infrastructure and badly undermined its tiers. And it is unfortunate that all of it is happening in clear knowledge of the PML-N leadership. The first tremor caused by the delay in the reorganisation was severely felt at the PML-N’s Bhaati Chowk rally, in which the party’s street power could not be mobilised to the max. The party’s various wings remained missing in action and MNAs and MPAs tasked to bring the people could not perform up to the mark.

“A similar phenomenon is going to rattle the PML-N again in the next rally being organised in Faisalabad on November 20 and later in Gujranwala.

Though Nawaz Sharif’s return to the political scene would create some difference, but the reorganisation factor would also throw a spanner in the works,” said a senior party leader. Among others, one reason behind the hold-up is that the PML-N is waiting for heavyweights –dis-

sidents of various political parties weighing up final options to join the party.

After their inclusion, the leader said, vacant slots would be allotted to them.

Meanwhile, a strong lobby that managed to occupy big seats after July 27, the day the PML-N filled all main slots through party polls, is also resisting further completion of the party reorganisation. Grouping in the PML-N ranks is also playing a negative role in the reorganisation process. In Punjab, CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz Sharif and Khawaja Saad Rafiq were prominent in the race for provincial leadership. Clashes over the slots for Sindh and KP provincial leadership have also emerged, as Ghaus Ali Shah and Saranjam Khan, who served well even during the Sharifs’ exile, have been furious for not getting major slots in the party.

So much so, the PML-N also launched a membership drive that has remained at

full throttle since 2009. A new programme was also put into play to increase the membership. But the campaign came to an abrupt end and nobody, even the party general council, central organising committee and mainstream leaders know about the strength of the new members.

At present, the party has completed reorganisation at the district level, excluding major cities like Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi. While presidents, vice presidents, deputy secretaries general, information and finance secretaries have been nominated, the decision on provincial leadership is hanging in balance.

The PML-N reorganisation got off the ground after the Shahbaz-led structure and all other organisations were dissolved in 2009 to pave the way for fresh party elections.

Last week, Nawaz chaired a meeting at Model Town to finalise the reorganisation plan. But things could not proceed any further. Talking to Pakistan Today,

PML-N Secretary Information Mushahidullah Khan said the main slots had been filled already and the remaining would be allocated to eligible leaders in the coming days.

He said although the delay had impacted the performance, it was not inflicting great damage to the party.

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10 News

Friday, 18 November, 2011

Iraqi ambassador meets Hina Khar ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

Iraqi Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Rushdi Mahmood Al-Ani called on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday. “The foreign minister lauded the efforts being made by the ambassador for strengthening the existing fraternal relations between Pakistan and Iraq,” said a Foreign Office statement. The ambassador expressed gratitude for the assistance and help he had been receiving from the government of Pakistan in performance of his duties. He said Pakistan and Iraq enjoyed close relations and that he would continue working for further strengthening the relations.

Pensioners demand 300% increase in pensions PeSHAWAR STAFF RePORT

TAKING A BReATHeR: A miner rests outside a coal mine in Spin Karez in the suburbs of Quetta. Online

Peshawar police kill two militants PeSHAWAR STAFF RePORT

A police party escaped unhurt as they killed two miscreants during a clash in Badhber, a suburb of Peshawar district on Thursday. According to police sources, a police mobile team was attacked by militants near Telaband Chowki Mamrez area of Badhber. After a heavy exchange of fire in which SHO Umar was slightly injured, the police managed to kill two of the militants that had taken shelter in a house nearby.

The clash continued for over an hour.

KP IGP oRdERs sTRICT vIGIlANCE foR PEACEful muHARRAm: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Muhammad Akbar Khan Hoti has directed police high ups to further improve the intelligence network and maintain utmost vigilance and take stringent precautionary and preventive measures for peaceful observance of the month of Muharram this year. These directives were issued to the police high ups after a detailed briefing on Security Plan for Muharram 2011 at the CPO Peshawar on Thursday.

NAB arrests KP additional secy for embezzling Rs 44m PeSHAWAR

N

STAFF RePORT

ATIONAL Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Investigation Team arrested KP Additional Secretary (Administration) Peshawar Muhammad Rahim Khan on charges of corruption and misuse of authority.

Rahim is accused of being involved in the appointment of dozens of classIV employees in Civil Secretariat Peshawar in violation of rules and regulations. NAB was told that Rahim had indulged in malpractice and misuse of authority and embezzlement.

A final investigation report was submitted after necessary evidence was collected. It reports that Rahim posted as Administration Dept Peshawar Deputy Secretary Adminis-

tration in April 2008. He was holding the office of Drawing & Disbursing Officer and later promoted as additional secretary.

It reports bank accounts were opened in the name of the deputy secretary administration. The report says upon approval from a competent authority Rs.841.970 million were deposited in one of the accounts for the purchase of helicopters by the KP Finance Dept to pay suppliers. In actual an amount of Rs.829.08 million was paid to suppliers leaving a balance of Rs 13.579 million in the account. The accused illegally transferred an amount of Rs 11.723 million out of the unspent amount through debit authorities and embezzled. Moreover, 50% rental income generated from Shahi Mehman Khana Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House Islamabad

amounting to Rs 8.409 million was embezzled. Likewise, the accused cheated the public by asking them to apply for benevolent fund CNG filling station on lease basis and embezzled Rs 4.103 million.

The total embezzlement amounts to Rs 43.503 Million. Rahim will be presented before the Accountability Court Peshawar.

In another case NAB Team arrested accused ex-UBL Main Bazar Branch Upper Dir cash officer Abdul Nasar for embezzling Rs 22.383 Million. He was presented before the Accountability Court and taken on remand. In 2006, NAB has authorised a formal investigation against the accused and issued arrest warrants. NAB had filed a reference in Accountability Court Peshawar in April 2007. The accused was declared an absconder by the court.

All Pakistan Civil Pensioners Association (APCPA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chapter appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and the KP Chief Minister to accept their demands and provide them basic facilities.

The demands were made during a protest on Thursday at Sher Shah Suri road opposite Cantonment Railway Station. Protestors were led by Fida Ahmad Durrani. Talking to reporters, Durrani said bureaucrats were creating hurdles in government affairs and not solving them. He said retired servants after completing government services had no facilities and were passing through a difficult phase of life and should be facilitated. They presented a list of demands including a 300 percent increase in pension, medical allowances and establishing a national hospital for X-rays, group insurance, dowry and death fund.

‘Urban Punjab to face worse dengue swarms next year’ LAHoRe SALAHUDIN SAFDAR

The urban pockets of Punjab besides Lahore may get severely hit by the menace of dengue next year, experts fear.

Faisalabad is being considered more vulnerable because it stood second to Lahore in terms of reported dengue cases. According to dengue experts, the focus of disease would shift from Lahore because of medical and administrative reasons, as large-scale arrangements were made to curb the epidemic while other cities had made no such attempts.

Allama Iqbal Medical College Principal Dr Javed Akram, while talking to Pakistan Today, claimed that the cities less hit this year would face more of the epidemic next year.

He said this year the virus hit mainly Lahore and its people were getting immune to it. He predicted that the number of cases would be lower next year. However, things could be worse elsewhere as the virus had moved to other cities where people had not yet acquired immunity, he added.

Describing the phenomenon in medical terms, he said once a person was infected with one of the four kinds of dengue virus, the patient’s body developed anti-

bodies to fight the virus, totally immunising him to that specific kind and giving temporary immunity for the remaining three. He said cities such as Faisalabad and Rawalpindi could become the next target of the epidemic. He said the virus could be controlled by launching mosquito con-

trol programmes.

Institute of Public Health Assistant Professor Dr Shahid endorsed the views of Dr Javed, however he believed that the panic caused by dengue had exaggerated the actual scale of the epidemic.

He said tertiary healthcare facilities should improve diagnosis for complica-

tions such as plasma leakage and the dengue shock syndrome. He said Lahore had better healthcare system in the province yet haphazardness and mismanagement were evident. He said all the other cities of Punjab had far less medical facilities which could worsen the situation there next year. Health Information Management System Director Dr Anwar Janjua said that 826 dengue patients and four deaths were reported in Faisalabad during the current year. He said in Multan and Rawalpindi, there were 162 and 431 reported cases respectively. However, independent sources said that in Faisalabad alone around 1,500 dengue patients were reported with 10 deaths caused by dengue. Dr. Abdul Rauf, executive district officer (Health) at Faisabalad said there was a lack of human resource in the district to carry out vector surveillance and eradication operations. He claimed to have 32 fogging machines and 190 spray pumps and a sufficient amount of insecticidal sprays Deltamatherine and Fanetheon. However he added that there were only 60 employees available for all the eight towns of Faisalabad city.

prepare for dengue, say Kp health specialists PeSHAWAR STAFF RePORT

Fearing an increase in the intensity of dengue fever in the next year with its orbit widening, health specialist Professor Dr Mukhtiar Zaman urged due preparedness take place through awareness campaigns, surveillance and case management at hospitals.

During a seminar on ‘Dengue Fever: facts and prevention’ organized by the US Consulate Peshawar Public Affairs Section on Thursday at Peshawar Press Club, ophthalmologist Dr Mukhtiar said dengue fever was firstly spotted in Pakistan in 1995 and began increasing its orbit in 2006 with a correspondent increase in mortality rate.

He said from June-September 1995 145 patients suffered from dengue fever in Karachi and one died while in October 1995 57 cases of dengue were confirmed in South Balochistan. “Today, with the spread of the fever it has become difficult to obtain reliable data,” he said. While in 2010 from 11024 confirmed cases there were 40 deaths, the year 2011 recorded 16,000 confirmed cases with the death toll increasing to 253, he said.

“While the need is to interfere in the chain of the spread of dengue fever by protecting patients, we unfortunately address it on emergency lines,” he said.

Dr Zaman said dengue patient had to be protected from more mosquitos. He said recovery from dengue fever was low and that most recover. “Mortality is 1-5 percent for untreated patients and 1 percent in treated patients..

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

Editor’s mail 11

Corruption scams: a threat to our political setup Reports published in the local media talk of rampant corruption with connivance of members of security, customs and FC personnel ranging from National Police Foundation (NPF) plots reserved for welfare of police staff in Islamabad to smuggling of fuel and other goods across the border into Balochistan. Corruption is a worldwide phenomenon, but those involved in it are never allowed to give it the semblance of regularity by making it a privilege of the elite instead of being looked at like a crime, which it is.

It is shocking that one of the beneficiaries of NPF plots located in Islamabad was none other than Pervez Musharraf,

the man who imposed martial law to rid Pakistan of corruption and imprisoned its elected PM and later forced him into exile. This cancer has afflicted every institution of the state because of lack of accountability, abuse of power and absence of checks and balances.

The democratic political process in Pakistan has suffered a setback because of lack of ethics and disregard to principles of conflict of interest. State functionaries all over the world get nominal commissions for major contracts, but in Pakistan these kickbacks go into double digit figures, jeopardising the very project or infrastructure that was supposed

distressed pilgrims to be built.

Pakistan today faces a severe energy crisis, transportation crisis and total breakdown of law and order because the state has failed to enforce financial discipline or ethics and punish criminals. Our major financial centre Karachi has become hostage to target killers with mafia gangs fighting a battle for turf while economy suffers.

In the process, Pakistan has become an easy target for extremists with resources to smuggle their weapons, terrorise the rural population and even major cities like Karachi. Absence of rule of law over the years has bred a culture

where corruption has been institutionalised and funds that should have been invested in the welfare of masses for education, health and provision of basic amenities have been pocketed by the powerful elite, who have shifted this illgotten wealth to foreign countries abusing their powers while in office.

Change is not possible if the state and its institutions fail to obey the rule of law and understand that the resources should be available for the welfare of most deprived and not the elite, otherwise chaos and anarchy will take over.

MALIK TARIQ ALI Lahore

Local bodies government Abolishment of local body system is a grave and long awaited issue that needs to be resolved. Present democratic government has failed to restore local body system and all the promises in this regard have not been fulfilled. I believe this is also a severe violation of Article 148 of the constitution.

I believe that this delay is merely to hide corruption and embezzlement of public funds that are being spent as per will and whims of current leaders who are non-transparent and imprecise in public funds, thus yielding no benefits to the people at grass root levels.

It is high time to implement a framework and structure of the Local Government institutions that has already been provided in the constitution and that also does not affect the question of provincial autonomy. Article 7 of the constitution clearly outlines the state, where an LG institution has been specifically included.

Whereas a framework for national and provincial governments has been provided in detail in the constitution, a proper framework for LG institutions has not been provided.

We demand an immediate restoration of local bodies, and suggest some incorporations to be added in the constitution, eg, the tenure of local government as well as election schedule, specific provisions to prohibit the appointment of non-elected persons as administrators of LG, deputation of local government ombudsman at provincial level as well to address the grievances regarding LG and their elected and nonelected officials.

Local government system is a direct support system for the citizens. I wonder as to why and for how long we would be kept deprived of it.

SYED ABID HUSSAIN Lahore

exorbitant prices A couple of days ago, I went to Islamabad airport to drop off my relatives going abroad. The immigration personnel asked for a photocopy of two front pages of passport of the passenger. I was flabbergasted when four pages of passport were photocopied for 70 rupees. Unfortunately, people were paying silently. I asked as to why it was so, the photocopier operator replied, “It is rupees 35 per set of passport and you have got two sets.” What to speak of exorbitant prices of other eatable items being sold in airport premises.

The concept of assisting and helping passengers has gone with the wind.

Everybody wants to reap the best money from foreign passengers. The porter asked me to pay Rs 300 for his entry fee so that he would guide the passenger to boarding card counter and for that purpose whatever paid to him will be accepted. Such gross injustice in the name of facilitating passengers is never seen in any other part of the world. To whom should one complain for such high and unfair charges that tarnish the image of our country in the eyes of foreigners and overseas Pakistanis travelling to different destinations from Islamabad airport?

We don’t know where the unbridled horse of “lawlessness” will stop or it will continuously trample the carcasses of hapless poor people gasping badly for their life. The core issue of overcharging for petty items and services has never been addressed in our country. Disfiguring the notion of good governance has always left a big question mark for those enjoying powers.

IFTIKHAR MIRZA Islamabad

Reckless school van drivers Population and vehicle ownership are the two most important factors that directly cause an increase in the victims of road traffic accidents or severe crashes. There are different types of road users in the traffic stream of Karachi. Apart from that, diversified nature of drivers and riders is also what makes the situation more hazardous and unpredictable.

Unfortunately, the risk of drivers facing or causing crashes is higher as compared to other type of road users, although it varies with the number of vehicles. The traffic crashes may be because of over-speeding, overtaking, negligence of drivers, improper or absence of road and infrastructure facilities, novice and overage driving, vehicle fault, medical illness and many others. All the contributory factors come under the head of three broader divisions: namely, human, road/infrastructure and vehicle contributory factors.

It leads one to believe that there is a lack of traffic safety because of inappropriate enforcement of rules, drivers’ training and management issues. There is a need of classifying and training the drivers as specific road user groups. For example, the school van drivers maybe trained as a specific road user

education standards Among the provinces of Pakistan, Punjab is considered to be having more literacy rate but around 35 million people are illiterate at present in Punjab. Educational standards and measurements are very low in most of the parts of Pakistan.

It is mostly because of language discrimination. In private sector schools, ducation is given in English language, instead of our national language Urdu.

Very few students get access to the secondary level education; most of them remain only up to the primary level. Most of the children cannot go to fulfil their secondary education because of poverty and parents force their children to work.

Researches show that child labour rate in

group.

Special interest groups, NGOs and other organisations may also contribute in this regard. One of the organisations in this field, the Social Research and Development Organisation (SRDO), is working in the area of traffic management and road safety. The training programmes should be mandatory not only for school van drivers but for all type of road users.

It is a usual practice that school van drivers do not take into consideration driving safety precautions, making them more prone to accidents. They do no control overloading which in turn upsets the balance according to the centrifugal force on the road geometry (curve effect, sharp turnings or junctions).

There should be a proper management for monitoring the system deployed by the concerned departments.

At the preliminary stage of issuance of license, proper training of school van drivers should be a mandatory part, that would ultimately correspond to a safe and sound traffic management system in Karachi.

KHAWAJA SHEERAZ Karachi

Pakistan is high amongst other Asian countries. Most of females in Pakistan are illiterate as compared to males.

Government of Pakistan is not focusing on education crises in Pakistan, which is a big demand of time. A number of government schools remain closed all over the year because of negligence, lack of teachers and infrastructure.

In addition, the educational system of the country must be reshaped and restructured according to national development goals. The orphans and other deserving children must be helped financially on a prolonged basis. It is also essential to eliminate child labour from the country.

Though Pakistan has recently passed laws greatly limiting child labour and in-

dentured servitude – but those laws are universally ignored, and some 11 million children, aged four to fourteen, keep our factories operating, often working in brutal and squalid conditions.

ANAM HAYAT Islamabad

Hardliners’ choice Hardliners in Pakistan want to commit an act as gross as the Mumbai incident in a belief that it will surely help them achieve their twin objectives of 1) bringing down the present civilian government in Pakistan and 2) replacing it with one of their own liking.

MANSOOR ALAM Lahore

The first batch of pilgrims from the holy city of Mecca after performing the obligatory rituals of Hajj came in an extremely distraught state. Those pilgrims who went through government packages were offended at the poor state of facilities made available to them. The conditions of facilities granted to these pilgrims have remained pitiable or worse, deteriorated even more.

These poor pilgrims were denied even the basic necessities which made their trip even more tedious and thorny to complete all the rituals for Hajj. Their residing places were distant from the places which hold immense religious significance and this made walking very tiring and raised their stress and anxiety levels. Furthermore, the status of these hotels are not at all appealing or comforting, especially when 10-12 people are clumped together in a room which has a capacity to accommodate people not more than three.

Steps should be taken by our government to try to provide satisfactory facilities to the pilgrims in proportionate to the prices of the government packages that exacerbate every year. On the other hand, the pilgrims going through private packages enjoy lavish facilities. This creates a gulf between the pilgrims and these lavish packages then become a source of status symbols for the privileged and for poor ones to recognize their true place.

These Hajj packages that depict clear cut distinction between the rich and the poor is antithesis to everything Islam holds in esteem; the real spirit of pilgrimage is a display of fraternity and equality among Muslims all over the world which depict the sheer strength of Islam but this idea of Hajj packages shows otherwise.

HADIA MUKHTAR SINGAPURI Karachi

Corruption in sports Corruption is an evil that can't be finished completely but minimised by rewarding the honest and punishing the corrupt. The recent acts of three Pakistani cricketers not only disillusioned the whole nation but also took their own future into darkness. We would not have faced this disgrace if the PCB had a strict mechanism of vigilance.

Now it has been reported that 29 Kabaddi players from Canada, Spain,Norway, Australia, India and the US have tested positive for banned substances but the international media did not give ample coverage to this corruption. No Pakistani Kabaddi player tested positive. I think that corruption in every game is bad. The biased sampling of international media not only disappointed the Pakistanis but also besmirched the image of cricket as a corrupt game.

We should appreciate our honest Kabaddi players. They must maintain their anti-corruption stance.

MUHAMMAD NADEEM Lahore

god help us!

News reports say that as many as 10 PIA planes have been grounded because of mechanical faults. What do you expect when half the maintenance crew is employed on political grounds?

All one hears is not only a pin drop silence, but a stout defence of the incumbent government by the moreloyal-than-the-king brigade, least bothered about more of the same.

Yet the devotees, both the illiterate and the literate, seem to be all set to vote their beloved party back into power. God help us!

KHURSHID ANWER Lahore

Is military on board the MFN status awarding decision?

With the current talks on Pakistan’s decision about giving India MFN status, the media is loaded with views both for and against such a decision. That all possibilities and dimensions of this relationship ought to be viewed before embarking on such a voyage that had been shrouded into conspiracies and remained under threat for decades, is but natural.

The Pakistan military establishment, however, seems to be the protag-

onist in this entire scheme of events as it is present in almost every headline and statement issued either by the Pakistani authorities or from the Indian side. The Pakistani information office has confidently stated that both the government and its security apparatus stand in favour of this decision. Manmohan Singh too has claimed that the Pakistan military has been taken on board as relations between both Pakistan and India become more cordial

after Pakistan has generously opened its arms for its neighbour.

But where is the statement by the military spokesperson for endorsing such a claim? That one of a leading and most popular politician has claimed that the military has not been taken on board in this. That the government is hell bent upon committing mistake upon mistake – a trait that they have certainly perfected over the period of four years – and acting as if all is well at

home.

If all is actually well then how would the authorities comment upon the proofs provided by Mansoor Ijaz that has triggered a fresh unexplainable controversy? How do the authorities justify the logic and rationale behind not inviting any of the services chiefs to a reception and banquet held in honour of the president of Turkmenistan?

AYAANA UMAR Islamabad

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-36298302. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk. Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

ISB pages 18-11-11_Layout 1 11/18/2011 3:22 AM Page 12

12 Comment MQM’s nemesis Now in London

Z

ulfiqar Mirza’s arrival in London has sent alarm bells ringing in the highest MQM circles. Possessed by the idea to expose the MQM leadership which he has accused of conspiring with a foreign power to break up Pakistan and of conducting acts of terrorism as a policy, Mirza has put his political career at stake. Sindhi nationalists have accused him of trying to steal their thunder to rehabilitate the image of the PPP. The MQM has hinted at the PPP leadership using Mirza to pressurise it.

Still others in the country have admired Mirza for the tenacity and courage he has displayed.

The development poses problems for both the PPP and MQM. The PPP is already under pressure from dissidents.

While Qureshi has left the party, there are reports of others mulling to follow suit. What is more, any action against Mirza has the potential to hit the PPP in Sindh where the opposition is beginning to make inroads. Being an erstwhile close friend of the president and a former home minister of Sindh, Mirza is an insider whose allegations against the MQM cannot be rejected out of hand. He has reached Britain at a time when the enquiry in Imran Farooq’s murder has entered a crucial stage with the reported arrest in Karachi of two MQM activists accused of murder. The fact that Mirza is accompanied by Sindh Information Minister has further strengthened the suspicion that his mission enjoys the blessings of some of the PPP high-ups.

The likelihood of the PPP government once again losing MQM’s support cannot be ruled out. Gilani’s desire expressed in the NA for peace with the opposition in therefore quite understandable. In view of the trust deficit between the government and opposition leading to calls for mass resignations from the assemblies expressions of good wishes alone might not help. The government has to take concrete measures to build bridges with the opposition.

While Mian Nawaz Sharif has once again stressed that change in government should only be brought through democratic means, he still maintains the PPP leadership has failed to fulfill any of its promises. Gilani has to address these concerns through meaningful CBMs to ensure that the system faces no serious threat.

Power crisis Anyone minding the store?

I

t was a bad day for the RPPs at the Supreme Court the other day. In fact, the project had always had a shady aura around it. Nepra, the power sector watchdog was very caustic towards it in the apex court as was an expert that the latter had called in. The court, of course, is displaying vigilance when it inspects the irregularities that were observed in the project. This includes violations of public procurement rules and others.

A general discussion on the nature of the project, however, would have sounded better in parliament. An elected government, after all, has the mandate to make bad decisions as well. The RPPs weren’t exactly the best decision the government has made. Ruling party members themselves seem to feel uncomfortable talking about it.

Current ruling coalition member Faisal Saleh Hayat went to court over it, after all. But the decision to use the exorbitantly expensive RPPs as a stop gap arrangement till other power projects kick in was a decision that was, after all, the government’s to make. As erstwhile Minister for Power Raja Pervez Ashraf said, “The most expensive unit of electricity is the one we don’t have.”

Government introspection is exactly what happened in the cabinet meeting the other day. Criticised by many members for not being serious about the power crisis, Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh faced a tough crowd, with the prime minister himself joining in the chorus. The cabinet’s committee on energy, in fact, hasn’t met even once in a year to discuss the issue of energy shortfall and circular debt. The committee, which included representatives from finance, power and petroleum and natural resources, had a lot of ground to cover, especially considering they were not even on the same page as to how large the circular debt is.

With IMF dictates calling for a minimisation of subsidies, the power rates keep going higher. A four percent hike, incidentally, is just around the corner. With consumers forking out more and more for a service they aren’t even able to use at their convenience, the government should get its act together for political reasons, if nothing else.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Karachi – Ph: 021-34330811-3 Fax: 021-34330900 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Friday, 18 November, 2011

While Pakistan suffers Reclaiming space requires honest civilian leaders, not political jokes

W

hile it is important to detail the Mansoor Ijaz story – damn good story it is too – it is equally, in fact more, important to not get involved with the trees and miss the forest.

Ijaz’ counter thrust should, by now, leave no doubt about at least the partial veracity of what he wrote in the Financial Times. Even former Admiral Mike Mullen, after the initial memory lapse, seems to recall receiving the memo which Ijaz alleged in his Oct 10 FT op-ed was sent from the Presidency to Mullen. Ijaz has already put out some information from his emails, telephone log and BBM messages, redacting names and numbers etc for now. That has shaken many blokes and helped jog the memories of others.

Much more is likely to come out and the final story promises to be very juicy.

Those who stood by Ijaz’s version got it close to the bull’s eye. Those who thought it was codswallop because the Presidency couldn’t be so stupid didn’t remember the tested fact that the two elements most abundant in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity. They also ignored the clichéd adage that a drowning man will catch at anything. Finally, as stupidities go, a monumental one still walks around and is called Mian Nawaz Sharif.

So, while the story is juicy, at the level of what this means I alBy ejaz Haider most have no interest in names. Who fathered the idea, who sold it to the President – that is, if it was someone other than the President who came up with this cleverby-half idea – how it was processed etc. Knowing Washington and quite a few people there, I have many names, official and unofficial, who go around to various shops and tell the Americans how important it is for their (US) success in the region and democracy in Pakistan, both presumably interlinked, to ‘defenestrate’ the Pakistani military. This secret memo business is just a more high-level, cloakand-dagger stuff than those constant efforts.

The common themes that now run through the American and Indian thinking have mostly been culled from the ‘expert’ opinion of Pakistanis. Just take care of the military and Pakistan will be fine. Of course it

helps to have a military that has its own impressive list of monumental stupidities.

This saga then, as other episodes of making appeals to official and unofficial America, presents to us all that is rotten in the state of Pakistan. That is what interests me because that is what I have so very often talked about as our biggest threat – we are at war with each other. A state which is at war within doesn’t need to fail.

It has failed even when many of its organs seem to function.

This memo business came after the May 2 episode. Of that, at the time I wrote in this newspaper under the caption At war within the following: “Imagine a scenario. US Special Forces raid a target in India, complete the operation and successfully extricate. What would the discussion be like? Would you have Indians arguing that there is no point in invoking sovereignty against the US because India’s sovereignty has been undermined in every third district by the Naxals every day for decades? I don’t think so.

“Yet, in this country, this very argument has been trotted out by sections of society that are educated and liberal, and by being so are best placed to advance the interests of this country. Why would educated people make such error of conflation?

“Somewhat simple, and here we get into the definitional problem of what is best for this country. These sections do not think that the manner in which the idea of security has been conceptualised traditionally in Pakistan is the right one. They aren’t too wrong in this but given the sharpening of the fault-line(s) they tend to move away entirely from realpolitik.

“But this is not the only problem with their approach. The bigger problem is that even in trying to reclaim the state, even if conceptually, they end up mixing up the concept of the state and how it has to operate in an anarchic world with the ‘establishment’ that remains in occupation of the state and which they oppose for its worldview. And such is this opposition that they are prepared to accept the violation of state sovereignty by another state, putting a moratorium on the fact that sovereignty is a core concept for the very existence of a state entity.”

Such is the civil-military fault-line that, going by this saga, the Presidency, the symbol of the federation of Pakistan, sends a request to a foreign, interested power and promises that “The new national security team will eliminate Section S of the ISI charged with maintaining relations to the Taliban, Haqqani network, etc. This will dramatically improve relations with Afghanistan.”

Can such a state function in any viable, coordinated manner? It cannot. As a realist, I find it appalling that the civilian principals should have appealed to a foreign power. But equally, as a longtime critic of the military I insist that such behaviour, no matter how unacceptable, must be placed in a context: do we now consider the military charged with safeguarding the state as a bigger threat than external actors? Are we prepared to ally with external, interested players to act against our own military because we think, as civilians, that this state cannot be run with this military around?

It does seem to me to be a fair assessment. And therefore the military, as I have argued repeatedly, needs to take a good, hard look at itself and if it believes it knows how to analyse threats, it should realise that, regardless of this or that reason, the civilians now consider it the primary threat to this state. This fact cannot be ignored even if it can be proved that the civilian leaders are corrupt and inefficient and would do anything to save themselves. Today it is the PPP government; yesterday it was the PML(N) government. Something about the military makes civilians very jittery.

Yet, reclaiming space requires honest civilian leadership because the military would not leave unilaterally. The AKP in Turkey is a superb example of how a party can rise from the political sidelines and put a very powerful military in its place. Far from appealing to foreign powers, reclaiming space requires leaders who take pride in being Pakistanis and who will never compromise on the state’s sovereignty. Does this leadership evoke such confidence? No. The result: the principal contradiction persists and the sufferer is Pakistan.

The writer is Contributing Editor, The Friday Times.

Regional Press

On the grand Jirga Daily Pakhtun Post

I

n the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, the Grand Jirga has started and it will continue for the coming four days. Two thousand delegates comprising members of the Afghan Parliament, tribal elders and people from civil society are participating in the jirga.

The apparent aim and objective for convening the jirga was to discuss the issues including law and order situation that confronts the region but particular focus will be on strategic agreement between America and Afghanistan for the formal presence of troops in the region even after 2014.

With the announcement of the convening of the jirga in Kabul have come warnings of dire consequences for those attending the same from the Taliban as they have termed the holding of jirga nothing more than ‘earning’ benefits for Americans in the region.

Taliban maintained that they could not condone the presence of American stations in Afghanistan and the en-

tire process of convening a jirga to flesh out details for the same was a farce. But the Afghan government rejected this by saying that the Taliban plan to sabotage the jirga and to attack it has been foiled and that the grand jirga is going to benefit the Afghan masses.

The question, thus, arises that whether a majority of the people likes or dislikes such jirgas especially if the jirga is seen to be sanctioning American troops to remain stationed in the country for a longer period of time. If this perception is indeed true and takes root, conditions would deteriorate rather than improve in the jirga’s wake.

Indeed, the forming of a Grand Jirga has its own importance but the trust (or lack thereof) and reservations of the Afghan masses must be given precedence over all other things. There is no need to mention that without gaining and rehabilitating the trust of the masses, there can be no peace and the issues of Afghanistan cannot be resolved.

– Translated from the original Pashto by Abdur Rauf Khattak

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

Comment 13

Political storm brewing? Unnaturally yours Never a dull moment in Pakistani politics

Jottings

By Agha Akbar

A

storm is currently being whipped up in the always simmering pot of Pakistan’s politics. And in the eye of the storm are the politicians who are tearing at each other’s throats and the very fabric of the country while swearing hand over heart how dearly they held the sovereignty of the parliament of which they are a part. But the reality is otherwise: it is they who are undermining it by word and deed, day in, day out.

Amidst all this, the ghost of the ‘memo’ is playing its own tricks, and by now, if nothing else, it definitely has claimed the scalp of the military establishment’s long-time nemesis, our man in Washington. The ‘memo’, it appears prima facie, was written by the man the establishment loved to hate with no qualms about concealing it. Since when is not known, but apparently since the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Bill attempted to contain the military’s intervention in political affairs had riled the army. The inspiration behind those clauses, so the powers-that-be thought, had come from Hussain Haqqani (from past record, one has to concede, a master at the art of subterfuge) who was promptly dubbed America’s ambassador under our banner.

Was he the lone ranger or was he prompted by the highest office in the country is still in question. The jury may remain out on it for some time, but does it really matter?

Pakistani leaders of all hues (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto being the only honourable exception but then he was one of a kind in so many ways) have always flaunted their being in cahoots with the

United States, wearing it almost like a badge of honour, if not of courage. And seeking the blessings of Washington and Langley in troubled times has been the norm, and once the moment faded away, it only became a footnote in our chequered history.

Why should it be treated any differently this time round, for some to dub it even as treason?

Or does it raise the hackles of the army hierarchy, as its chief mentioned, because the relationship with the US is of late on a different keel? Or the leading lights of the establishment perhaps have this pronounced feeling of betrayal because the endeavour was made to subdue the army further when it already stood humiliated in the post-Bin Laden captureand-killing period. Hence the sharpening of the knives and the clamour for blood, of the messenger variety in this case.

Trouble afoot for urban commuters ending to the ‘memo’ saga seems to be on the cards.

And to those who were busy painting the departure scenario for the PPP government, promising it a ‘winter of discontent’, Firdous Ashiq Awan has a most succinct one-liner. “Constitutionally you do not have the means to send us packing and a coup is not likely to happen”.

This may correctly reflect that feeling of overconfidence in the PPP’s inner sanctum even after the anticipated departure of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, with more likely to be weaned away owing to genuine antipathy with the current leadership or out of sheer caprice. Having survived for this long in the face of dire predictions from day one, and having seen through so many desertions from 1970s to this day, with the PPP somehow remaining intact, should imbue it with such self-belief.

Despite its sins of omission and commission, the situation on the ground points to the PPP’s electoral unassailability. Whether it emerges as the single party at the centre again is unlikely And that is where the buck is likely to stop. If it were propitious, everyone involved would have been shoved aside. Indeed, the whole venture may have wrapped up. But the times are different. Neither the milieu at home nor the geopolitical conditions allow such an adventure.

Post Lahore rally, with his standard now flying high, even Imran Khan has ruled out support for an extra-judicial setup. The establishment’s favourite party from the South has already had its wings clipped, and with its image in the gutter since that fateful afternoon on May 12 2007 and the bloody events that unfolded since, in order to rehabilitate its credentials it too cannot reiterate its call to the ‘patriotic generals’.

So, unless something dramatic pops up, a rather tame

And despite its sins of omission and commission, the situation on the ground points to the PPP’s electoral unassailability.

Whether it emerges as the single party at the centre again is unlikely, but if the obverse happens, it still would not be reduced to the miniscule 19 seats in the manufactured heavy mandate of 1990. Rigging elections and tampering with the results with impunity is no longer possible.

That is why, whatever the PML(N)’s public posture, the Senate elections in March and the possibility of the PPP cornering enough seats to give it a majority is the real motivation behind the bogey of en masse resignations.

The writer is Sports and Magazines Editor, Pakistan Today.

N

ormally maligned for their inefficiency, corruption and lack of accountability, I’ve finally come to the conclusion that government officials are stars in their own right. Of course you know what stars are made of don’t you? Hot gases.

The difference is that while celestial bodies dazzle the stargazer with their night-time twinkling, government bodies confound onlookers with their antics. And this week brought us interesting news of what the Government of Punjab is up to in the transport sector – thus bringing them into the telescopic crosshairs of an urban development expert.

Notwithstanding the general torture urban commuters have to endure on public transport in the Punjab, our government always seems to find new ways to make life interesting for citizens. But the honeymoon period for a newly elected government has been over for a while and just when you thought things couldn’t get much worse for commuters, along comes a new benefaction.

After many years of making empty promises to the public, this week gave our stars much needed reason to celebrate. The rejoicing follows the news that the Lahore Transport Company (LTC) is inducting fifty six new natural gas powered buses as part of an expansion of the urban transport system in the Provincial Headquarters. According to my namesake Khwaja Ahmed Hassaan who is the incumbent LTC Chairman, the

By Hassaan ghazali company is implementing a plan to provide affordable and efficient urban transport system in Lahore for which not only will new buses be running from this week, but an additional order of two hundred additional buses has also been given to China.

So the great plan, then, stems from an overwhelming desire to do good by providing transport services for hapless commuters. But while actions may be judged according to intentions in the divine realm, the opposite holds true in the mortal world where many a well intended action has ended in disaster, malcontent and the inevitable transfer or posting. The latter holds true especially for mandarins in the Punjab Civil Secretariat who may want to read on before preening that new feather in their cap.

I know that our public sector institutions don’t really provide a conducive environment to truly express professional creativity, but they certainly don’t preclude the absurd or the asi-

Purely Pakistan

nine from escaping either. For it seems outrageous that on the one hand the government is touting public transport affordability and on the other equating affordability with luxury.

Let’s be very sure about what the provincial headquarters of Lahore really needs. According to some high quality analytical work funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the number of large buses has declined sharply from around a thousand to about three hundred over the last three years. Evidently, the Government of the Punjab had pretty much failed to win over private sector investors until the news of new buses came in this week.

So what exactly are we trying to achieve here. A new state of environmental consciousness? Green credentials for a wayward government? With the demand for public transport at an all time high, the business of running buses on natural gas is nothing short of greenwash for hapless commuters.

Faced with a crippling energy crisis that often results in electricity and gas load shedding, it is disturbing to learn that at time when unavailability of natural gas is forcing transporters to take vehicles off roads, the Punjab government has reached an agreement with the federal government to get the imported buses fuelled at specified stations during the gas holidays. This may be a small victory for the Punjab Government but what remains unclear is how the government intends to sustain the new buses.

Natural gas buses don’t just fill up at any old fuel station. They require considerable investments in energy infrastructure that allows for efficient refuelling. Yet, the LTC remains mum on whether they will ever need compressors, more clearance at fuel depots and the like. Apparently the government was so busy popping open the bubbly that they forgot to look into basic necessities of a gas powered transport system. As is normally the case whenever the government takes up the common man’s plight, officials prefer to act first and think later.

Perhaps if they had thought this thing through to its logical conclusion, the government may have opted for high quality diesel buses complemented by an enforcement mechanism to ensure compliance with emission and maintenance standards. But this would have been too easy. They have now decided to go the hard way and this will bring many unhappy surprises for the administration and the citizens.

The government should accept that greenwash will not solve our public transport problems anymore. Let’s just move people.

The writer is a consultant on public policy.

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14 Foreign News

Friday, 18 November, 2011

European nations seek UN action against Syria g

Arab League gives Syria three days to halt ‘bloody repression’ or face economic sanctions UnIteD nAtIonS

E

AFP

UROPEAN nations said Thursday they have key Arab support for a UN resolution condemning human rights abuses by the Syrian government. Diplomats from Germany, France and Britain will present the resolution at the UN General Assembly’s human rights committee on Thursday for a vote expected next Tuesday, German officials said.

Success could increase pressure on the full UN Security Council to act over the Syria crisis. The British, French and German UN ambassadors met Arab ambassadors at UN headquarters Wednesday after Arab leaders gave Assad three days to end his violent repression, a German mission spokesman said. “There was strong support to go ahead with

the draft resolution: some Arab delegations even expressed their intention to co-sponsor the resolution,” said the spokesman. He did not name countries but other diplomats said Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Morocco and Saudi Arabia were among strong candidates to co-sponsor the resolution.

“The Arab world has sent a very clear message: the massive human rights violations and the suffering of the Syrian people have to stop,” Germany’s UN ambassador Peter Wittig said.

“We appreciate that there is strong support for a resolution by the General Assembly: we hope it will show Assad just how isolated he is,” the envoy added. But Wittig said it was still imperative for the Security Council to condemn Assad. “No misunderstanding: this is no substitute for council action. We still see a need for the council to live up to its responsibilities and we expect that council

turkey pM lashes out at muted criticism of syria IsTANbul: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday criticised the international community for muted criticism of Syria, saying more would be heard if the country had richer oil resources. “The world may not be following Syria with sufficient care and sensitivity because it is not a wealthy country in terms of energy resources,” Erdogan told an energy forum in Istanbul. “Syria may not be drawing attention as much as Libya because it does not have sufficient oil resources,” said Erdogan. “The silence and unresponsiveness of those who have an appetite for Libya to the massacres in Syria is creating irreparable wounds in the conscience of humanity,” he said. AFP members don’t easily dismiss the strong voices from the region.”

After last month’s veto, Britain, France, Germany and the United States said they would seek the right moment to return to the 15-member Security Council. “The action will require a lot more finesse to get it passed but

we are still determined,” said one Western diplomat. The European nations believe that a leading Arab role will be crucial to getting council action. Russia and China vetoed the October 4 resolution, while Brazil, India, South Africa and Lebanon abstained. After the NATO strikes in Libya, opponents

said they feared Western nations would use Security Council intervention in Syria as an excuse for a regime change campaign.

Europe and NATO have insisted they have no intention of launching military action in Syria.

Russia signaled again Thursday it opposed UN action, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying the West and the Arab League should not just single out Assad over the violence but also urge opposition restraint. China however said it was “highly concerned” about events in Syria. sYRIA REbEls HIT RulING PARTY offICEs: Rebel troops hit youth offices of Syria’s ruling Baath party on Thursday, a day after a spectacular raid on a military intelligence base outside Damascus, a human rights group said.

There was no immediate word on any casualties from the attack in Idlib province in northwest Syria, close to the Turkish border.

sYRIA’s muslIm bRoTHERHood oPEN To TuRKIsH ‘INTERvENTIoN’: The leader of Syria’s exiled Muslim Brotherhood said Thursday that his compatriots would accept Turkish “intervention” in the country to resolve months of bloody unrest. “The Syrian people would accept intervention coming from Turkey, rather than from the West, if its goal was to protect the people,” Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammad Riad Shakfa told a press conference. “We may ask more from Turkey as a neighbour,” he also said, without elaborating on the nature of the intervention which the Brotherhood might consider acceptable. On Thursday, pro-government daily Sabah reported that the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC), together with the Muslim Brotherhood, had asked Turkey to establish a no-fly zone on the Syrian side of the shared border to protect Syrian civilians.

thousands march in Athens austerity protest AtHenS AFP

Greece's fledgling government faces its first street challenge on Thursday, after Papademos’ coalition govt officially confirmed in parliament late Wednesday, as thousands of protesters hold an antiausterity demonstration that has prompted a major security operation across Athens.

The demonstration marks the anniversary of a 1973 student uprising which helped topple a US-backed army dictatorship that had ruled the country since 1967.

Originally directed against American 'imperialism', the annual protest which draws tens of thousands of participants has morphed into an outcry against two years of economic sacrifice imposed by Greece's international creditors.

The new government of Lucas Papademos, a former European Central Bank deputy chief, was officially confirmed in parliament late on Wednesday. More than four-fifths of the 300-seat chamber on Wednesday gave a vote of confidence to the interim administration, which was set up to approve a crucial eurozone debt bailout and then hold early elections.

Russia warns of nuclear conflict risk on borders MoSCoW AFP

PRAgUe: A man passes by panels of an exhibition of photos marking the 22nd anniversary of the 1989 velvet Revolution that toppled communism in former Czechoslovakia. the open-air exhibition presents paired photos from 1989 and the Arab Spring depicting similar motifs from two decades ago and today's revolutions on twenty panels. AfP

Myanmar wins diplomatic coup with nod to chair ASeAn nUSA DUA AFP

Southeast Asian leaders agreed Thursday to allow Myanmar to chair their bloc in 2014, in a victory for the new government seeking international legitimacy after a series of reform moves.

Indonesia’s foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said that Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) leaders had given the green light at their summit on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. “All leaders are in agreement that significant changes, significant developments, have taken place in Myanmar and those changes have made it more conducive for Myanmar to carry out this responsibility,” he said.

The decision to give Myanmar’s nominally civilian government the diplomatic prize

comes after tentative reform steps that have surprised observers, but in the face of warnings from the United States that the move is premature.

Since being sworn in eight months ago, the government has held direct talks with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, freed 200 dissidents, frozen work on an unpopular megadam and passed a law giving workers the right to strike.

But rights campaigners say those measures could easily be reversed and that handing Myanmar the diplomatic prize could remove the incentive for more fundamental change in a nation still accused of serious rights abuses.

“With this decision there is more chance to give more encouragement to Myanmar to keep up the momentum for change,” Natalegawa said.

Along with the ASEAN

chairmanship, the decision means Myanmar will host the East Asia Summit in 2014, which brings ASEAN members together with the United States, China and Russia, among others.

US President Barack Obama, speaking in Australia before travelling to Bali for Saturday’s East Asia Summit, was cautious on the signs of reform.

He said that “violations of human rights persist” in Myanmar and that his administration would continue to push for change with a mix of sanctions and engagement.

“So we will continue to speak clearly about the steps that must be taken for the government of Burma (Myanmar) to have a better relationship with the United States,” he said.

However, a senior Myanmar official at the Bali conference said his government

was confident the United States would attend the 2014 meeting.

Asked whether he was concerned that Washington could decide to boycott the event, Sit Aye, senior legal adviser to Myanmar President Thein Sein, said: “I don’t think so.

“We will take this responsibility of chairmanship seriously,” he said shortly before the decision was announced.

“Human rights problems happen all over the world including the United States,” he said. “Countries should solve these according to their own situation.” bRITAIN uRGEs moRE mYANmAR REfoRm: Meanwhile, London is ready for a “fundamental shift” in relations with militarydominated Myanmar if political reforms continue, a British minister said Thursday

after meeting democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said he welcomed reformist steps made by Myanmar’s army-backed government in recent months, but said further urgent action was needed, including the release of political detainees.

He urged the Myanmar government to free all political prisoners, ensure upcoming by-elections are free and fair and end conflict on the country’s borders. “These actions would signal the way for a fundamental shift in the relationship between Burma and Britain,” he said.

Suu Kyi’s opposition party is expected to announce its return to the official political arena on Friday after years of marginalisation by ruling generals.

Russia’s top military commander warned on Thursday of a growing threat of conflicts along its borders that could even escalate into a nuclear war.

“The possibility of local armed conflicts along nearly the whole border has increased sharply,” General Nikolai Makarov said, citing the fact that many of the country’s Soviet partners are gravitating towards NATO. The Baltic states and Eastern European countries in the Soviet-era Warsaw Pact defence treaty have already joined, while Georgia and Ukraine have expressed a desire to join the Western defence alliance that was once the menace of USSR and is still considered Russia’s enemy by conservatives.

“In certain conditions I don’t rule out local and regional armed conflicts developing into a large-scale war, including using nuclear weapons,” Makarov said.

Russia fought a short war with its former Soviet partner Georgia in August 2008 over a contested region near Russia’s southern fringe. The two countries remain bitter enemies as Georgia is strongly pursuing NATO membership. Russia has borders with nuclear weapons powers China and North Korea and is also deeply concerned about the risk of a conflict between nearby Iran and Israel over Tehran’s controversial atomic programme. Makarov’s hawkish remarks come as the country is also in the midst of a complicated and costly military reform, while facing a demographic crunch in its army ranks.

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

Foreign News 15 Milan students protest against ‘bankers’ govt’ MILAn ReUTeRS

Hundreds of students prostested in Italy’s financial capital Milan against what they called the ‘bankers’ government’ led by economist Mario Monti and scuffles broke out with police. The students threw firecrackers at police trying to prevent them from approaching the Bocconi University, which is chaired by Monti and has become a symbol for his new executive of technocrats, formed to tackle Italy’s debt crisis. Police responded by charging the students with batons. The students also threw eggs and fake dollar banknotes at the building of the Italian banking association. Monti’s government, sworn in on Wednesday, was due to lay out austerity measures before seeking a confidence vote in the Senate later on Thursday.

IAeA seeks to send high-level mission to Iran VIennA AGeNCIeS

ROMe: Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti (C) delivers a speech ahead of a confidence vote at the Italian Senate on thursday. Monti is set to unveil his economic programme, under heavy scrutiny from global leaders, financial markets and parliamentarians wary of hard-hitting reforms. AfP

Obama tells Asia, US ‘here to stay’ g

China questions military focus when economy a priority g Obama welcomes India playing larger role as Asian power CAnBeRRA

P

ReUTeRS

RESIDENT Barack Obama said on Thursday that the US military would expand its role in the Asia-Pacific region despite budget cuts, declaring America was “here to stay” as a Pacific power which would help shape the region’s future.

China voiced misgivings about Obama’s announcement of a de facto military base in Australia and has longstanding fears that its growing power could be hobbled by US influence.

Obama acknowledged China’s unease at what it sees as attempts by Washington to encircle it, pledging to seek greater cooperation with Beijing.

The US military, turning its focus away from Iraq and Afghanistan, would be more broadly distributed in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, more flexible and help build regional capacity, he

told the Australian parliament.

“As we end today’s wars, I have directed my national security team to make our presence and missions in the Asia Pacific a top priority,” Obama said in a major speech on Washington’s vision for the Asia-Pacific region. “As a result, reductions in US defense spending will not -I repeat, will not - come at the expense of the Asia Pacific.”

He added: “We’ll seek more opportunities for cooperation with Beijing, including greater communication between our militaries to promote understanding and avoid miscalculation.”

Nervous about China’s growing clout, US allies such as Japan and South Korea have sought assurances from the United States that it would be a strong counterweight in the region.

That deployment to Australia, which by 2016 will reach a taskforce of 2,500 US troops, is small compared with the 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea and 50,000 in Japan.

But the new de facto US base in Australia expands the direct US military presence in Asia, beyond South Korea and Japan and into Southeast Asia, an area where China has growing economic and strategic interests.

Meanwhile, China has questioned the new US deployment, raising doubts whether strengthening such alliances helped the region pull together at a time of economic gloom. Indonesia, southeast Asia’s largest country and long wary of any expanded foreign military presence in the region, also warned that Australia deal came with risks.

“What I would hate to see is if such developments were to provoke a reaction and counter-reaction precisely to create a vicious circle of tension and mistrust or distrust,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said.

Obama said the United States would seek to work with China to ensure economic prosperity and security in the region, but would speak candidly about

issues such as human rights and raise security issues like the South China Sea through which $5 trillion dollars in trade sails annually.

AsIA-PACIfIC movE EssENTIAl foR us ECoNomY: Obama said the increased focus on the Asia-Pacific region was essential for America’s economic future. “As the world’s fastest-growing region - and home to more than half the global economy - the Asia Pacific is critical to achieving my highest priority: creating jobs and opportunity for the American people,” he said.

On Thusday, Obama also cited increased US naval ship visits and training in the Philippines and Singapore, working with Indonesia to fight piracy, partnering Thailand for disaster relief and India’s role in regional security.

He flies to Bali late on Thursday, where he will seek to underscore a focus on Asia by becoming the first US president to participate in the security East Asia Summit.

The UN nuclear watchdog wants to send a special high-level mission to Iran to address mounting concerns the country may be seeking to design nuclear weapons, its head said on Thursday. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano said he had written to the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation earlier this month to suggest the visit, which would air issues raised by the IAEA’s latest report on Iran. “I hope a suitable date can be agreed soon. It is essential that any such mission should be well planned and that it should address the issues contained in my report,” Amano told an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna. Western diplomats said six world powers were close to finalising an agreement on a draft resolution at the twoday IAEA meeting expressing concern about Iran’s activities and calling on it to cooperate with the IAEA. The fact that the six major powers were set to agree on a joint text will be welcomed in the West after the IAEA report prompted Russia to complain that it was politicised and dimmed chances of a negotiated solution to the Iran nuclear dispute.

Moscow’s stance exposed big power divisions over how to best to resolve it.

“It (resolution) will maintain pressure on Iran,” one Western diplomat said.

IAEA IRAN REsoluTIoN lACKs dEAdlINE: A resolution being hammered out at the UN nuclear watchdog on Iran sets Tehran no deadline for responding to the body’s damning new report on its nuclear programme, diplomats said Thursday. Instead the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board will call on the watchdog’s head Yukiya Amano merely to brief the board on progress, a Western diplomat said, something the Japanese would most likely do anyway.

Wall Street protesters seek rebound with rally g g

eviction of Occupy London Stock exchange camped out at St Paul’s Cathedral set to expire global day of Action celebrated with rallies in Spain, belgium, germany, Italy, Poland, Nigeria and other countries neW YoRK AFP

Occupy Wall Street activists have vowed to avenge their eviction from a protest camp with an attempt Thursday to disrupt the New York Stock Exchange, and then rally on the city’s subway and major bridges. A ‘Global Day of Action’ was announced which would combine demonstrations across the United States with protests in other nations including Belgium, Germany, Poland and Spain.

The level of participation in the rallies could provide a clear indication of Occupy Wall Street’s clout exactly two months since the movement sprang up to protest against the elite “one percent” and two days after New York police cleared out the tent camp in Manhattan.

Organisers in New York said protesters would start gathering at 7.00am (1200 GMT) at Zuccotti Park, scene of the dramatic police raid, then march to nearby Wall Street and the stock exchange.

The action was due to begin six hours

before the global movement faced a major challenge in London, where a deadline for protesters camped at St Paul’s Cathedral to leave was scheduled to expire. “Enough of this economy that exploits and divides us,” the OWS announcement said. “It’s time we put an end to Wall Street’s reign of terror.”

Previous OWS protests have been peaceful, but with tensions rising between the activists and police it was unpredictable what would happen when the crowd tried to enter Wall Street - almost certainly to be blocked from entering.

The wider US movement has also seen trouble this week, with an Occupy camp in Oakland being broken up and a suspected gunman being shot dead by police at the University of California at Berkeley, although it was not linked to the hundreds of anti-Wall Street protesters who had descended on the elite college. OWS promised to “confront Wall Street with the stories of people on the frontlines of economic injustice. There, before the Stock Exchange, we will ex-

change stories rather than stocks.”

From there, the program calls on protesters to meet at underground rail hubs “and take our own stories to the trains.”

A final installment is scheduled as a rally

on a major square near police headquarters and various courthouses, then a march across bridges, likely meaning the nearby Brooklyn Bridge. The announcement strikes a lighthearted note, calling

for music and an unexplained “festival of light” on the bridges. However, if the bridge marches block traffic, as police say a previous march on Brooklyn Bridge did, then arrests are almost sure to follow.

The number of people marching, their determination and how well they control the unsanctioned demonstrations will be a key test of strength for the gritty movement. Numbers could swell Thursday, particularly in the later part of the day, with support from sympathetic trade unions. Another unknown is the level of participation in other US cities that have embraced the OWS cause, as well as in other countries. Atlanta, Detroit, Portland and Washington, DC, are some of the cities said to be planning events.

Spanish university students in a dozen cities will go on strike and a demonstration will take place in Madrid, where the “indignant” protests were a precursor of the “occupy” movement.

There will be rallies in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Nigeria and other countries, according to the site.

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

I’m too much

inGenelia: loveRiteish with

IN LIMELIGHT CARtAgeNA: the new Miss Colombia 2011 - 2012, daniella Alvarez, greets the public after being selected.

MUMBAI

R

AGeNCIeS

ITEISH and Genelia met on the sets of their first film, ‘Tujhe Meri Kasam’ (2003), and fell in love. Eight years later, the actor confesses his feelings for the first time and confirms their wedding in 2012. In a world where one’s relationship status changes as often as the weather, it is heartening to see a couple that has lasted beyond the sevenyear-itch. Here Riteish talks about their journey from “I love you” to “I do”.

Marriage on your mind? Tell all.

“Yes, Genelia and I are getting married next year. We haven’t fixed the date yet, but it will be early 2012. We are working on the details.” You’ve been together since 2003. For seven years you’ve kept your relationship shielded. Why? “I’ve always been a very private person and wasn’t comfortable talking about it.”

Did your respective families know?

“Yes, our families knew we would get married someday. Right from the beginning we’ve had their blessings, but they left it to us to decide when we wanted to announce the decision.” Why is Genelia the one? “I don’t know what to say. I think we grew up together. We learnt about life, love and work together. It was gradual. It wasn’t overnight. We were friends and the bond just grew and became stronger. I

LONdON: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and taylor Lautner arrive for the premiere of their latest film 'twilight breaking dawn'.

MUMbAI: deepika Padukone poses at a ceremony to herald the launch of a t-shirt collection by designers Raj and Pablo.

just felt that she was the one. I’m too much in love with her. That’s it.”

You’re now working together after seven years. What’s changed? “Earlier, we worked together as friends and we were both new to the industry. Now there is respect for each other as actors. And it’s fun.”

first Bollywood film to be shot at Ground Zero MUMBAI AGeNCIeS

It’s a first of sorts for Bollywood and Puneet Issar can afford to feel proud. His film ‘I Am Singh’ is the first Bollywood film to have got permission to shoot at Ground Zero in New York. The site of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Centre attacks was a site that the US authorities were unwilling to give for shooting. It took Puneet a year to convince them. “Yes, we are allowed to shoot there now. Eighty percent of the film is shot in America. We kept putting up our case to the concerned department. Finally, the authorities gave their nod,” said Issar, whose film is based on the issue of mistaken identity of Sikhs in America post 9/11. A source from the unit said convincing American authorities was-

n’t easy, as they thought the film would portray a negative image of the country.

Even the American crew hired for the project was apprehensive. They needed clarification as to what we were making.

MOSCOw: the bolshoi ballet dancers perform during a rehearsal for a new production of tchaikovsky's ‘the Sleeping beauty’.

Taylor Swift Ranveer feels responsibility in stardom

NeW YORK: Actor bradley Cooper has been named as the Sexiest Man Alive in People magazine’s new survey, and he is quite surprised with the title. “I think it’s really cool that a guy who doesn’t look like a model can have this (title). I think I’m a decent-looking guy. Sometimes I can look great, and other times I look horrifying,” said Cooper. while the 36-year-old actor walked away with the top spot, Liam Hemsworth came second and Idris elba landed the third spot. Jennifer Aniston’s actor boyfriend Justin theroux and Chris evans wrapped up the top five. AGeNCIeS

WASHINGTON: taylor Swift, at 21 one of the biggest stars in country music, says she considers her fame to be an awesome responsibility almost from the minute she wakes up. "I definitely think about a million people when I am getting dressed in the morning," the singer-songwriter with the supermodel looks told the CbS news magazine ‘60 Minutes’ in an interview. "that's just part of my life now. I think it's my responsibility to know it and to be conscious of it." She added it would be all too easy, as a star, to deny any impact on her audience: "the truth of it is that every singer out there with songs on the radio is raising the next generation - so make your words count." Swift - who collected her second career entertainer of the year trophy at the Country Music Awards last week scores her eighth top10 debut in the billboard singles charts this week with ‘If this was a Movie’.

AGeNCIeS

takes pot-shots at Aamir and Salman

MUMBAI: One-film-old Ranveer Singh perhaps fancies himself to be a david, what with mimicking the goliaths of the industry. At an event to launch ‘Lootera’, co-starring Sonakshi Sinha, the bratty actor took on two of the biggest Khans in the industry, Aamir and Salman, and ensured he had the media lapping up every moment of his act. It started with Ranveer sporting a look from the film. In his high-waisted pants, he looked straight out of a 50s film. the actor however had a different era in mind. “Now on, I will only wear my pants over my tummy, like Aamir Khan,” he said. It did not stop at that. when someone from media requested him to say something about Sonakshi, Ranveer said that he first saw the trailer of ‘dabangg’ on Youtube and immediately rattled off the famous dialogue, “thappad se dar nahi lagta sahab, pyaar se dar lagta hai”. He then proceeded to mimic Salman’s signature strut, using up all of the stage or the next few minutes. All Sonakshi could do was turn away in embarrassment.

Producers and his director wisely didn’t allow him to talk much after that. MIRROR

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17 Woman drops Justin Bieber paternity suit

MUMBAI

S KUALA LUMPUR: A model showcases a creation by Malaysian designer galeri Muslimah during the Islamic Fashion Festival.

AGeNCIeS

EVEN Hills, fifth floor, suite no 13: the Bachchan baby arrived on Wednesday morning in full style befitting her famous lineage. The diarist learns that Aishwarya is the only patient on the floor and the hospital has ensured that the entire staff that's working on the floor deposits mobile phones before they go up to the floor, lest someone sneaks out a picture of the bonnie baby. Talking of whom, close friends who have seen her swear to your diarist that she is a spitting image of her mum – the same pellucid eyes and complexion as also her slender fingers. No wonder dad Abhishek was tweeting smileys through the day.

LoS AngeLeS AGeNCIeS

‘Soft innocence rests in my arms’ Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is the family's official cameraman to record the birth of his granddaughter. And as he clicks, he confesses to shedding some tears of joy behind the lens. He blogs, "The soft innocence of nature rests in my arms, oblivious of what else happens around her.

Occasionally she opens her large and what looks now to be eyes of the lighter hue, which those that have dealt with similar, know shall change with time. Often the gentlest of smiles quiver across her pouted upper lip, the shut eyes bringing expression through the brows and the settling down to that dream she must dream. Her head covered in the littlest of head gear she will ever adorn, snuggles into her mini quilt of varied colours dominated by the pink softness of its material."

In silent communion with son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya’s daughter, the grandfather writes, "As I look down upon her I bring myself back to the visual when I had placed her Father in just condition into my Father's hands, to be heralded into our home. I stare at her in silence. She reciprocates in similar vein.

It is too delicate a moment. I am unaccustomed to such delicate state. Should I shake my arms cradle like to give comfort, or maybe simply remain still as family, cameras and members gather around. The ladies about, ogle with baby-like sounds intermittently, and deliver diverse opinions on who she resembles. There are animated conversations of how this state of delivery was reached, in some intricate terminology and detail. These words are new to me. I have not heard them. Or perhaps not heard them often enough to know them. After a pregnant pause it is time for her to be airlifted from within my arms. I give this angelic face a prolonged look ..."

His thoughts turn to his own father, the late poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, "Dad ! I hold the 9th Bachchan in my hands .. this family that you started .. !!

Amitabh, Ajitabh, Shweta, Nilima, Namrata, Abhishek, Naina, Bhim and now .. this beauty, unnamed so far ... I hope you and Ma look upon us from above and bless us and your latest addition. To

MUMBAI: A unit member of a film she is working on reveals how Kat spends most of her time – in front of the mirror! No, the girl is not playing ‘Mirror, Mirror on the wall’ or patching up her blemishes - she has none! this behaviour is imputed to the dancing bug that has bitten the enthusiastic girl, who seems to be jumping at every opportunity to perform an item number. Actress Katrina Kaif may have been promoted as the ‘item girl’ post the ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’ phenomenon. After that she did a 20-second stint for Salman-starrer ‘bodyguard’, and will be seen in two more item numbers! So she is adamant to become a better dancer and keeps practising dance moves in front of the mirror for hours on end. “She spends hours in front of the mirror and is always looking at improving her dancing. She is honing her dancing skills as seriously as improving her Hindi,” we are told.

“If she is doing that - practising in front of the mirror, it’s the best way to learn dance,” says choreographer vaibhavi Merchant. well, let’s not be surprised then if Kat gives us some more impressive jhatkas and matkas in her next few item numbers. AGeNCIeS

carry forward what then may have seemed a somewhat limited expectation.

The tradition continues and may it prosper by your love and your aashirvaad."

It's been a tiring but satisfying journey for the family. He shares, "It has been a tiring day for all, especially the Mother, who has shown exceptional strength and courage. It has been a day of great joy and combined happiness. It has been a day of immense emotion.

Tears of joy have erupted among all that were from family and about Aishwarya all along. On occasion they have tried desperately to occupy mine as well. But as the 'official' camera recorder of the event I have secretly dropped a few behind the eyes of the lens that I hold. These are rare moments and rare reactions."

He adds, "A new life a new generation has begun. The process of continuity reigns. The world still rotates the way it does. We shall live our destined lives and be removed, but the process shall continue.

May the process be eternal for the one that has just arrived. May it be full of happiness and joy always and may we be a part of it for as long as we can ... As one well wisher in his mobile message declared - 'May you live to dance at the wedding of this angel in your life'. May we all ... indeed !!"

Lots of money riding on baby B It's a well-known fact that several crores of rupees were riding on two things: the delivery date of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's baby; and the gender of the child. Now that this has been confirmed, one would think that the bookies would settle their accounts and engage themselves with something else. However, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai's Baby, fondly called Baby B, continues to engross the bet placers. We hear, that the next thing that they are putting big monies on

‘Katrina spends hours in front of the mirror’

is: what initial will the baby's name begin with? While many are of the opinion that it'll be an A-family, what with both parents' names beginning with 'A', others say that the Bachchans will follow the Raashi, given their superstitious nature, and will indeed name the baby with a K. 'A, J, Y, B, K, R' are the most prominent alphabets suggested by numerologists.

But we'll just have to wait and watch what this pretty little one will be named, while the bookies bite their nails until then.

'Baby B will be very helpful to her father' Daivagna Sharma, a city based numerologist, who had predicted that Aishwarya and Abhishek will have a baby girl on April 4, even before Ash's pregnancy made news, is now ecstatic that what he foretold has come true. Wasting no further time, the soothsayer is already coming up with predictions for the just-born baby's future. He says, "Although it is clear that the baby will be immensely successful if her name starts with 'S' or 'M', the Bachchan family is keen on naming her something that starts with 'T', 'A', 'J' or 'I'. The naam karan ceremony will mostly be held in a Ganesh temple with Lord Ganesh's blessings." Talking about the qualities that she will imbibe from her famous family, he explains, "The girl will be very helpful to her father. She will be a very good orator like her grandfather Amitabh.

Also, she will get Aishwarya's mother's charitable nature and she will be interested in creative writing like her great grandfather Harivansh Rai Bachchan." Abhi's baby will be highly qualified, Sharma claims.

"She will study languages, sociology or fine arts. She will be beautiful, have lustrous hair and sharp eyes. She may go on to become a singer or a great public figure."

Well, with such a great gene pool to boast of, what can we say but lucky Baby AB!

LOS ANGeLeS: british comic Ricky gervais will host the golden globes film awards again next year, organisers said wednesday, despite having ruffled a few feathers with his edgy humour last year. “After weeks of rumours, it’s finally official - Ricky gervais will be back to host the golden globes for a third year,” said a statement by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organises the annual awards. “while many welcome gervais’s return, not everyone is happy with the decision because last year his blunt one-liners targeting bigname celebrities caused anger and resentment in some quarters,” the HFPA said. Minutes after the announcement, gervais took a dig at billy Crystal, named last week to host the Academy Awards. “Just told billy Crystal he’d better not use any of my Holocaust or pedophile material at the Oscars. He agreed (true),” gervais wrote on his twitter feed. gervais came under fire for remarks about Mel gibson’s alleged anti-Semitism, Robert downey Jr’s past drug problems and Charlie Sheen’s reputation for drinking. AGeNCIeS

A woman who claimed that Justin Bieber was the father of her infant son has dropped a paternity suit against the pop star, US media said Wednesday, amid reports that he was preparing to file a counter suit. Celebrity gossip site TMZ.com reported that plaintiff Mariah Yeater, 20, who last week quietly revoked her suit against the singer, also had been abandoned by her legal team. Bieber earlier this month said he would take a DNA test to prove that he did not father Yeater’s son, and then would counter sue once the results come back, according to reports.

Sources said Bieber, 17, and his legal team planned to make an example of Yeater as a deterrent to others who might be tempted to make similar claims in the future. Yeater, who gave birth to a baby boy in July, had claimed that she and Bieber met backstage at a concert in October last year in Los Angeles, where they had sexual relations that left her pregnant.

Deepika in awe of beauty pageant winners MUMBAI AGeNCIeS

Deepika Padukone, who has completed a successful four year innings in Bollywood and who is currently one of the most sought after actresses in BTown, says before she stepped into the world of modelling and cinema, she was asked by several beauty pageant organisers to consider entering a contest. "I refused point blank,” says Deepika. “I am all admiration for beauty pageant winners but I could never muster up courage to face the kind of gruelling schedules that these girls do. You need to be made of another stuff to participate in a live contest; walk the ramp in those costumes and be judged for physical attributes. Somehow that never appealed to me.” Deepika adds, “While I have utmost regard for all the girls like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sushmita Sen, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta and others who made India proud, I was sure about two things - I would never participate in a beauty contest; two – I was dead against doing a music video.”

She sheepishly admits though that she had to break her resolve of not doing a music video when she appeared in Himesh Reshammiya's video ‘Naam Hai Tera’. "Himesh was on top of his game when this video happened and I was persuaded by many to be part of this music video,'' she says. “I don't regret anything I have done.”

Ricky Gervais to host Globes again,

despite row

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Friday, 18 November, 2011

Serena set to marry boyfriend drake Page 23

Strauss to warm up for Pakistan with India stint LonDon AFP

England captain Andrew Strauss will prepare for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan by joining the England Performance Programme (EPP) in India next month.

Opening batsman Strauss, no longer a one-day international cricketer, has not played cricket for his country since guiding England to a 4-0 Test series success at home to India in August.

But the 34-year-old will tune up for the Tests against Pakistan, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates in January, at training camps in Mumbai and Pune.

Strauss will be joined by fellow batsman Eoin Morgan, who is returning from a shoulder injury, and wicket-keeper Matt Prior.

Fast bowlers Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett and Graeme Onions will also join the EPP in separate camps to be conducted in Potchefstroom in South Africa.

“The England Performance Programme camps will offer the England players the perfect chance to step up their training and preparations ahead of the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan in January,” England performance director David Parsons said.

“The players attending these camps didn’t participate in England’s recent ODI tour of India or have been sidelined through injury so this is the ideal opportunity to build up their preparations during an important period leading into January.”

taNvIR LIKELy tO REpLaCE Razzaq

Pakistan aim to get back to winning ways

dUbAI: Sri Lanka’s captain tillakaratne dilshan (C) speaks with coach geoff Marsh (L) as Kumar Sangakkara (2L) looks on during a practice session at the dubai Stadium. AfP DUBAI

P

AFP

AKISTAN captain Misbah-ul Haq hopes his team can learn from its mistakes and show improvement in the third one-day international against Sri Lanka on Friday. Pakistan won the first of five matches by eight wickets last week but allowed Sri Lanka to level the series with a 25-run victory in the sec-

ond, on Monday. Misbah said his team made mistakes in all three departments.

“We discussed about mistakes committed in the last game,” he said. “We dropped a catch, then gave away 17 extra runs and lost early wickets while batting so we need to overcome those mistakes if we want to win the next game.”

Sri Lanka posted a challenging 2357 on the back of Upal Tharanga’s 77 and Mahela Jayawardene’s return to form 50 before restricting Pakistan to 210.

Misbah agreed Sri Lanka, who scored three run-outs in Pakistan’s innings, were ahead in the field. “They definitely have an edge in fielding and that’s where we have to catch them because they effected good run-outs of Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi,” said Misbah.

Pakistan are likely to bring in paceman Sohail Tanvir in place of Razzaq.

Sri Lanka were also forced to summon left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara from Colombo after Suranga Lakmal broke down with an ankle injury and was ruled out of the remaining matches. Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said his team is determined to carry the momentum from Monday.

“We played some good cricket and can take a lot of positives into Friday’s game because that’s an important match for both the teams as they can take lead in the series,” said Dilshan, who has yet to win a series since appointed captain in May. Dilshan said he was enjoying support from the Sri Lankan fans who came in big numbers in the first two matches.

“It’s great to see so many Sri Lankans turning up and in between overs we feel the noise,” said Dilshan. “We hope more people come on Friday, which is a holiday here, it gives you encouragement.”

The remaining matches will be played in Sharjah (November 20) and Abu Dhabi (November 23). Both teams will also play a Twenty20 international in Abu Dhabi on November 25.

Dubai is not Pakistan’s favourite ground stats corner S. PeRVez QAISeR The third match of the five-match series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played at Dubai International Stadium on Friday (November 18).

This day night/night match will start at 16.00 hours (PST).

This will be the 124th match between the two teams in limited overs international cricket and third at this ground.

Pakistan have won 72 and lost 47 in 123 previous encounters between the two sides. Three matches ended without a result while one match ended in

a tie.

Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by eight wicket in the first match of the series on November 11, 2011. Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi (3-27) led Pakistan’s spin attack to bowl Sri Lanka for a paltry 131 in 40.3 overs and then chased down the target in 21.5 overs on the back of halfcenturies from Imran Farhat (50) and Younus Khan (56 not out).

In the second match on November 14, 2011, Lasith Malinga took three wickets to help Sri Lanka to a 25-run win over Pakistan in the second oneday international to level series 1-1.

Lasith Malinga took two wickets in the first over and then returned in his second spell to finish with three for 36

to help dismiss Pakistan for 210 in 46.3 overs after setting them a target of 236 runs.

Umar Akmal led the chase with a brilliant 102-ball 91 but Pakistan lost three wickets in succession in the batting power-play, including that of Umar Akmal which saw them lose their way.

Umar Akmal hit one six and eight boundaries - three of them in Dilhara Fernando’s 38th over - before hitting the sixth delivery of the same over straight into the hands of mid-on to end Pakistan’s hopes of winning.

Pakistan have won three and lost four in the seven previous matches played at this ground. They beat South

Africa, Australia and Sri Lanka once each while lost twice to South Africa and once each to Australia and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka have won six and Pakistan four in last 10 encounters between the two teams.

LAST 10 MATCHeS BeTWeeN TWO TeAMS:

DATe 24-01-2009 30-07-2009 01-08-2009 03-08-2009 07-08-2009 09-09-2009 15-06-2010 26-02-2011 11-11-2011 14-11-2011

VeNUe Lahore dambulla dambulla dambulla Colombo Colombo dambulla Colombo dubai dubai

ReSULT SL beat Pakistan by 234 runs SL beat Pakistan by 36 runs SL beat Pakistan by 6 wickets SL beat Pakistan by 6 wickets Pakistan beat SL by 146 runs Pakistan beat SL by 132 runs SL beat Pakistan by 16 runs Pakistan beat SL by 11 runs Pakistan beat SL by 8 wickets SL beat Pakistan by 25 runs

vinod Kambli: 1996 world Cup semi final was fixed

LAHoRe STAFF RePORT

Former Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli has alleged that the historic 1996 World Cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka, which the former lost badly, was fixed, reported an Indian website.

In a TV show, Kambli said he was suspicious of the then captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s decision to field first even though batting was the norm after winning the toss in those days.

Batting first, Sri Lanka had set a target of 252 for India. In reply, India too started badly as Chamindas Vaas got rid of Navjot Sidhu at eight. However, with Sachin Tendulkar in full command at the crease, India hoped for a comfortable entry into the final.

However, Sanath Jayasuriya bowled a magical spell and very soon India were reduced from 98/1 to 120/8 that made Kolkata fans go berserk with anger and disappointment. The fanatic cricket buffs set the chairs of Eden Gardens on fire and hurled bottles at the Lankan players in protest against India’s collapse, forcing match referee Clive Llyod to award the match to the visitors.

It was one of India’s most heart-breaking defeats in ODI history with cricket pundits attributing the loss to Indian skipper Azharuddin for inviting Sri Lanka to bat.

Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja, both serving ban by the ICC for match fixing, were out for duck in the match.

Very few can forget the tears of Kambli after Sri Lanka was declared the winner.

“I cried because I thought I was robbed of a chance to do it for my country. The entire team hugged me. Most of us were crying,” he recalled.

Pakistan’s new attack creates a different sort of challenge g

250 is a good score under the new rules

exPeRT COMMeNT

MAHeLA JAYAwARdeNe

I

T was quite pleasing to finally get that first win, considering how we lost the first one-dayer by a big margin. In the Test matches, we played some good cricket but didn't grasp some of the opportunities, and we repeated that in the first ODI. We had to make sure we didn't do that again in the second match, which we did. I think we controlled the game very well.

We had a very good chat after the first one-dayer, particularly about the areas we were found lacking in. We looked at where

we didn't focus enough, and how we could get over a quality side like Pakistan. We were not consistent enough in our batting performances, and we didn't pick up early wickets. This time we managed a decent score, Lasith Malinga took early wickets, we controlled the middle overs, and as a good fielding side we knew we could create some run-out chances.

Pakistan's new-ball attack creates a different sort of challenge, so we had to see through that period. At the same time, we've tended to lose too many wickets in the middle order. That's an area we need to look at, because with the new Powerplay rules, I don't think we will see big totals unless a team gets a really good start and works towards 300. With two new balls at either end, the ball is going to do a lot more most of the time, so we need to rethink our strategy with the new ball and the Powerplays. Given the situation and momentum we got, we were maybe 20 runs short in the second game.

I think 230-250 would be a par score these days with the new rules.

When I went in to bat it was the 27th over, we had lost a few wickets, and Pakistan were trying to get on top. I told Upul Tharanga not to panic as we had a Powerplay coming up in another six-seven overs. We just needed to settle the ship, get about three or four runs an over and launch during the Powerplay, and that's what we did. it came at the right time for us, at the 36th over, and we scored 48 runs without losing a wicket. Upul lost his wicket shortly after that but we had enough batsmen to come, so I just had to bat through with them and make sure we got to a competitive score.

During the interval we did fancy our chances, but given that Pakistan bat deep, we knew we had to strike early, and we had to cling on to every opportunity. We did take early wickets, which gave us a lot of confidence, but we dropped a catch off Umar Akmal, batted very well.

Lasith definitely adds a different dimension from our Test attack because he is an attacking bowler who takes wickets at different stages of the game,

with the new and old ball. Because of him the others become more effective.

We have a few guys with a lot of variations who give us options.

We knew in this second ODI that we had to take control in their batting Powerplay, as they still had Shahid Afridi to follow. Giving them just 26 runs and picking up three wickets was crucial. Till then it had been a 50-50 game.

Regarding my batting position at No. 5: we had spoken to the management and selectors about giving opportunities in different ODI series to youngsters. We talked about sandwiching Dinesh Chandimal between myself and Kumar Sangakkara so as to be able to control things better. We need to experiment more with this sort of thing going forward, and if it doesn't work, fall back on other plans. Chandimal is a very talented player, so hopefully we can guide him.

The Test matches were disappointing for me as a batsman, and I've been trying to spend time in the middle in the ODIs. I started well in the first one but couldn't

Aizaz Cheema handle the situation very well, as we were losing wickets. Here, I had the opportunity to take the initiative, which I did, so hopefully I can build on this.

Getting to 10,000 runs in both forms of the game has been one of my targets from about three years ago. I try not to think too much about those milestones. After I get to 10,000 I will sit down and set myself other goals to achieve over the next six months.

CRICINFO

ISB pages 18-11-11_Layout 1 11/18/2011 3:24 AM Page 19

Friday, 18 November, 2011

India romp to series victory KoLKAtA

P

SCOReBOARD

AFP

RAGYAN Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin shared four wickets as India beat a resilient West Indies by an innings and 15 runs in the second Test to clinch the series at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday. The West Indies were bowled out for 463 in their second innings just before tea on the penultimate day after being asked to follow on with 478 runs in arrears, with Darren Bravo smashing a sparkling 136.

Left-arm spinner Ojha dismissed free-scoring Bravo and off-spinner Ashwin removed Marlon Samuels for an impressive 84 before seamer Umesh Yadav ended the innings with the last two wickets off successive balls. The West Indies, beaten by five wickets in the opening Test of the three-match series in New Delhi, lost their last six wickets for 62 runs in the afternoon session.

The tourists, dismissed for 153 in their first innings in reply to India’s mammoth 631-7 declared, put in a muchimproved batting performance in the second innings as they made the hosts struggle for wickets on a good pitch.

“It was a long fielding session. We got them out comfortably in the first innings but saw that the track was getting flatter and there was nothing in it for the bowlers,” said India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“I think the first innings was perfect and after that it was a game of patience.

Bravo batted superbly.”

There was no hint of a late collapse when Bravo and Samuels were dominating the Indian attack with exciting strokeplay during their 132-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Bravo smashed four sixes and 16 fours in his brilliant 230-ball knock for his second Test hundred in three matches, having hammered 195 in the second and final

Sports 19

INDIA, 1st innings: 631-7 decl (V. Laxman 176 not out, MS Dhoni 144, R. Dravid 119, G. Gambhir 65; K. Roach 2-106, D. Sammy 2-132) WeST INDIeS, 1st innings: 153 (D. Bravo 30; P. Ojha 4-64, U. Yadav 3-23) WeST INDIeS 2nd innings (overnight 195-3): A. Barath c Laxman b Sharma 62 K. Brathwaite c Dhoni b Yadav 9 K. edwards lbw b Sharma 60 136 D. Bravo c Dravid b Ojha 47 S. Chanderpaul b Yadav 84 M. Samuels lbw b Ashwin 3 C. Baugh c Dravid b Ojha D. Sammy b Yadav 32 K. Roach b Ashwin 1 F. edwards not out 15 0 D. Bishoo b Yadav 14 exTRAS (b9, lb4, w1) 463 TOTAL (for all out; 126.3 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Brathwaite), 2-116 (Barath), 3-161 (K. edwards), 4-269 (Chanderpaul), 5-401 (Bravo), 6-411 (Baugh), 7-417 (Samuels), 8-421 (Roach), 9-463 (Sammy), 10-463 (Bishoo).

Bowling: Yadav 17.3-1-80-4, Sharma 25-4-95-2, Ojha 32-5104-2, Ashwin 40-4-137-2, Yuvraj 3-0-14-0, Sehwag 9-2-20-0 (w1).

ReSULT: India win by an innings and 15 runs TOSS: India UMPIReS: Rod Tucker (AUS) and Bruce Oxenford (AUS) TV UMPIRe: S. Ravi (IND) MATCH ReFeRee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

KOLKAtA: west Indies player Shivnarine Chanderpaul looks on as he is clean bowled on the fourth day of the second test. AfP Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka before the India tour. He made India wait for the victory with his defiant stand with Samuels before being caught by Rahul Dravid at lone slip in the afternoon. Ashwin, who got married a day before the Test started, then removed Samuels as he got trapped leg-before after cracking one six and 13 fours in his brisk 111-ball knock.

“I’d like to commend the guys in the second innings and if we put two innings together we can pose a challenge to

other teams,” said West Indies captain Darren Sammy, who made 32. “It was a good fight in the second innings. India showed us how to bat on this track. It called for application.” The West Indies defied the Indian attack in the extended morning session, adding 144 runs to their overnight total of 195-3 for the loss of just one wicket.

India took the new ball immediately after it was due and Yadav struck in his second over when he dismissed Shivnar-

ine Chanderpaul (47), who inside-edged the delivery on to his stumps after hitting six fours in his 94-ball knock.

Chanderpaul, known for playing a long innings, and Bravo added 108 runs for the fourth wicket, denying India success for more than an hour in the opening session.

Bravo, who survived a run-out chance on 54, continued to play attacking shots as he lofted Ashwin for a straight six before hitting two fours in an over off paceman Ishant Sharma.

He moved from 92 to 100 with a pair of fours as he drove Yadav through the covers and then steered to third-man.

Bravo was lucky to survive a confident appeal for a bat-pad catch by Gautam Gambhir at short-leg off Ojha when on 119, although TV replays suggested he had edged the ball. The third and final Test starts in Mumbai from Tuesday.

blind series first drop of rain: Pakistan skipper LAHoRe STAFF RePORT

The Indian blind cricket team is taking the series against Pakistan as a preparatory platform for the next years’ World Cup to be held in India. The Indian blind cricket team arrived here for a 12-day tour, their first to Pakistan in five years, in what many believe would help restore full sports ties between the two countries. Pakistan captain Abdur Razzak believes that the Indian team’s visit would pave way for the restoration of the return of international sports to Pakistan. “It’s a first drop of rain and other foreign teams would follow suit,” he said while talking to journalists here on Thursday. He further stated that they have not prepared with a plan for the series but even then the series would be interesting to compete. “We have upper hand against India and also have home advantage and the series would be interesting to watch,” he maintained. Indian blind cricket team captain Shekhar Naik Lachma said: "I am very happy that we were given such a great welcome on crossing the border". A team led by Pakistan Blind Cricket Council chairman Syed Sultan Shah welcomed the Indian players. "Despite security concerns and other issues, they have come to our country. A good message will go to the world that Pakistan is safe for sports," Shah said. Ramakant, Indian coach, said the three T20 matches and as many one-day internationals to be played in Pakistan would help his side prepare for the 2012 World Championship to be held in India.

US grand Prix to be called off LonDon

bajwa hopeful of good showing in Champions trophy ISLAMABAD

Handshake would suffice for racist abuse: Blatter PARIS

AGeNCIeS

Pakistan’s hockey is riding high on confidence after winning a three-nation tournament beating hosts Australia in Perth and will be no pushovers at next month’s Champions Trophy to be held in New Zealand. Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Asif Bajwa, an Olympian, said that beating Australia on their home soil was a big achievement for the Asian Games gold medallists. “Let’s be realistic - we have defeated Australia on their home soil and have won the three-nation event. Our next target is to put in our best efforts for ensuring a better show in the upcoming Champions Trophy and we are really working on it,” Dawn quoted Bajwa as saying. He also said that Pakistan would be warming up for the Champions Trophy with two international games against Germany and Holland. The tournament, featuring the top eight teams, would be played in Auckland from December 3. “We will be playing two training matches with Germany and Holland before featuring in the Champions Trophy,” said Bajwa.

PHF awards players

AFP

FIFA President Sepp Blatter plunged himself into more controversy on Wednesday when he told CNN that players who suffer racial abuse should simply shake hands with their abuser. The Swiss - who was re-elected unopposed earlier this year amid claims of corruption within FIFA - added he didn’t believe that racism was prevalent within football. His claims came on the back of a Football Association (FA) and police investigation into whether England captain John Terry racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand and the announcement by the FA on Wednesday they had charged Uruguayan Luis Suarez with racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra. Blatter, however, insisted that generally racism did not exist within the sport and there was no need for investigations into claims by the likes of Evra and Ferdinand. “There is no racism, but maybe there is a word or gesture which is not the correct one,” the 75-year-old Blatter told CNN World Sport. “The one affected by this should say this is a game and shake hands.”

Blatter’s comments provoked a bemused response from former England captain Rio Ferdinand, brother of Anton. “Tell me I have just read Sepp Blatter’s comments on racism in football wrong....if not then I am astonished,” tweeted the Manchester United star. Blatter later issued a statement clarifying his remarks. “My comments have been misunderstood.

What I wanted to express is that, as football players, during a match, you have ‘battles’ with your opponents, and sometimes things are done which are wrong,” he said. “But, normally, at the end of the match, you apologise to your opponent if you had a confrontation during the match, you shake hands, and when the game is over, it is over. “Anyone who has played a football match, or a match in any sport, knows that this is the case. “Having said that, I want to stress again that I do not want to diminish the dimension of the problem of racism in society and in sport. “I am committed to fighting this plague and kicking it out of football.”

The Pakistan Hockey Federation has on Thursday announced cash awards for the Pakistan team for winning the tri-nation tournament in Australia. PHF President Qasim Zia announced Rs 100,000 each for the officials and players of the pakistan hockey team for their excellent performance during Tri Nation Series held in Australia from October 26 to November 3 and won the Tri Nation series by beating Australia. On this occasion President PHF Qasim Zia said that the PHF will announce more prizes for the players, if the team produces the similar results in the future.

The Formula One United States Grand Prix is set to be called off even before it has had its first edition the sport’s supremo Bernie Ecclestone told the Press Association on Wednesday.

Ecclestone said there was no doubt that at the next meeting of the sport’s governing body The FIA on December 7 the race due to be raced in Austin, Texas, in November next year would be pulled from the calendar. “Yes, it will be, for sure,” said Ecclestone, when asked whether the race would be called off.

Ecclestone’s remarks came after it was announced on Tuesday that work on the purpose-built circuit - which would have hosted the first Grand Prix in the US since 2007 - has been halted in a dispute among developers, Formula One and promoters.

As the Circuit of the Americas issued a statement on Tuesday confirming construction had been halted, the project was dealt another blow when Texas state comptroller Susan Combs said in a statement that $25 million in state money for the event won’t be paid in advance.

A statement issued by the circuit said construction would be halted “until a contract assuring the Formula One United States Grand Prix will be held at Circuit of The Americas in 2012 is complete.

No point in keeping Blatter after prehistoric comments comment HenRY WInteR

LAHoRe STAFF RePORT

AFP

H

OW predictable. How depressing.

Sepp Blatter continues to take the lead role in FIFA’S remake of Walking with Dinosaurs. His views on racism are so prehistoric, so odious that it begs the question: how does the Blattersaurus cling to power?

Any politician who had uttered similarly offensive comments would have been sacked or resigned. Yet Tyrannosaurus Sepp carries on, an embarrassment to a wonderful sport, an affront to common decency. Yet it would be lazy to dismiss Blatter’s comments to CNN and Al-Jazeera as the inane ramblings of an old man, an ad-

ministrator long associated with having the gift of the gaffe. It’s more. It’s worse.

Blatter is an intelligent individual, a lawyer by training, a political animal by nature. He is different to the uneducated terrace-dwellers in Madrid or Bratislava who taunted England’s black players. Blatter is aware of the racism debate, knows he employs staff who strive to combat discrimination, and yet he makes such remarks.

Blatter will have confirmed the fears of those black managers who fear the invisible racism within football, the glass ceiling preventing their rise. Reading the transcripts of his interviews was singularly dispiriting. Almost every sentence contained an offensive sentiment.

First Blatter argued that there was no racism in football, a pronouncement dis-

carding the hard work of all those within football’s governing bodies, including Fifa, seeking to excise the cancer of racism from the body of football. Racism is not as rife as before, certainly not like when bananas rained from the terraces, but it still exists.

Blatter’s proved that.

With breathtaking arrogance, Fifa’s president goes on to claim that the ‘‘one who is affected’’ by a racist comment should say “this is a game” and shake hands with his abuser at full-time. Unbelievable.

Why should a black player tolerate that?

They would be justified in shaking their abuser by the throat not the hand.

Denigrating an opponent on account of skin colour is despicable, and illegal, and no amount of “after you Claude, what’s for tea in the pavilion?” faux bonhomie can mask

such racism. Such words would be shameless if coming from a humble kitman; spilling from the lips of the most powerful man in football is staggering. How can Blatter campaign for fair play and respect now?

So who can challenge Blatter? Rio Ferdinand has tweeted his anger. Good. The dressing-room must hit back, screaming that racism cannot be countenanced.

National associations must react, too.

Conspiracy theorists will find suspicious coincidence in the Football Association announcing it had charged Luis Suárez with racially abusing Patrice Evra shortly after the Blatter story broke. Even if the timing was purely accidental, it still highlights the reality that FA takes racism seriously while FIFA, the home of Sepp the Dinosaur, doesn’t.

ISB pages 18-11-11_Layout 1 11/18/2011 3:24 AM Page 20

20 Sports WC qUaLIFIERs

Sana heroics not enough against windies LAHoRe STAFF RePORT

Pakistan women’s cricket team suffered their first defeat in the ICC World Cup qualifying round against the West Indies in Bangladesh on Thursday.

Pakistan took on West Indies at BKSP 3, with Sana Mir winning the toss and electing to bat against Merissa Aguilleira’s side. The Pakistani batting attack struggled against a fine performance of spin bowling from West Indies vice-captain Anisa Mohammed who, like Richardson in the Ireland game, walked away with five wickets.

Pakistan’s opener, Sana, along with Nain Abidi, proved to be the only batters of note in the side, with the former scoring 49 while the latter managed 53 against one of the tournament favourites.

It was then up to the inform all-rounder Stafanie Taylor to open the batting in reply for the West Indians, and despite her losing her opening partner, Juliana Nero, for five, and then Shanel Daley shortly after, the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2011 stuck out the innings alongside Barbadian Deandra Dottin.

Dottin is perhaps best known for her quick fire century at the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2010 in St Kitts, but this time round the 20-year-old struck a patient innings of 60 in 97 balls to help the West Indies to another win in the event.

Besides, the West Indies, Ireland, Netherlands and Sri Lanka won their matches of the qualifier. sCoREs IN bRIEf – dAY THREE At Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Ireland 311-0, 50 overs (Richardson 57, C Joyce 64, Whelan 49) Japan 56 all out 23.2 overs (Richardson 5-4) Ireland won by 255 runs Player of the Match: Eimear Richardson (Ire) At Khanshaheb Osman Ali Stadium Netherlands 329-5, 50 overs (Veringmeier 99, Tomlinson 80, Lanser 51, Rambaldo 41) USA 104 all out, 49.5 overs (De Lange 3-8, Lanser 3-11, Tomlinson 3-21) Netherlands won by 225 runs Player of the Match: Miranda Veringmeier (NL) At BKSP 2 (ODI) Pakistan 140 all out, 49.2 (Sana 49, Nain 53; Mohammed 5-26) West Indies 142-2, 34.5 overs (Taylor 66 not out, Dottin 60 not out) West Indies won by eight wickets Player of the Match: Anisa Mohammed (WI) At BKSP 3 Zimbabwe 62 all out, 41.4 overs (Nyathi 18; Seneviratna 5-15, Ravikumar 3-17) Sri Lanka 63-3, 10.5 (Mendis 35 not out; Saili 3-19) Sri Lanka won by seven wickets Player of the Match: Chamani Seneviratna (SL).

Friday, 18 November, 2011

PCB officials at odds over BD series squad LAHoRe

T

STAFF RePORT

HE Pakistan Cricket Board has delayed the announcement of the team for the upcoming Bangladesh series. Reports say that the delay was caused due to the development of differences between the national selection committee and governing board members of the PCB. Reports quoting sources say said that the selectors were not happy with the pressure being exerted by some governing board members to have players of their region picked in the squad for the Bangladesh tour.

The selection committee, which is headed by Mohammad Ilyas, met in Lahore but did not announce the squad.

Ilyas said the selectors had decided to hold back the announcement as they wanted to wait for matches of the ongoing one-day series against Sri Lanka in the UAE to be completed.

"Basically we don't want players to be complacent if we announce the touring squad now. There is nothing wrong in waiting a bit and then announcing the squad," Illyas said.

Pakistan is due to tour Bangladesh after a gap of nearly 10 years for a Test, three ODIs and a Twenty20 match. The Pakistan squad will leave directly from Dubai for Dhaka after completing their series against Sri Lanka next week.

But a well-informed source confirmed that the delay had also occurred because some governing board members were insisting players of their regions, who had performed well recently, should be inducted into the side as the series against Bangladesh is not expected to be a tough one.

"For example Shakil Sheikh who is a governing board member from Islamabad and Rawalpindi wants all-rounder Umar Amin and opener Owais Zia in the squad for the limited over matches in Bangladesh," reports said. Reports further said similarly Aamir Nawab, who heads the Abbottabad Region, wants leg-spinner Yasir Shah in the team.

Owais Zia and Umar performed well in

dUbAI: Former chief selector and interim coach Mohsin Khan (L) gives instructions to Umar Akmal (R) during a practice session. AfP the recent SAARC tournament in Maldives where Pakistan won the T20 tournament. They have also done well on the domestic front in recent times.

"The chief selector's main objection is that the selectors should be allowed to work independently," the source added.

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah went with the senior team to Zimbabwe in September but did not impress in the matches he played. "Ilyas is a straight forward per-

son and is not happy with this interference and is waiting to talk to Chairman Zaka Ashraf," another report said.

He said the selectors were not in favour of making changes in the squad that is already playing against Sri Lanka. "The feeling is that the Bangladesh series should be used as a springboard to give players confidence for the next year's series against England in the UAE," the source said.

USA beat italy in Volleyball WC toKYo AFP

tOKYO: Mai Yamaguchi (L) of Japan spikes the ball over german players, Christiane Fürst (C), Regina burchardt (R). AfP

The United States ended defending champions Italy’s match-winning streak on Thursday as the two teams secured their top three places to qualify for the London Olympics next year. The Americans pulled off a 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 25-21 victory for a 9-1 winloss record to tie with the Italians, but they have 26 points against Italy’s 25 points in the 12-team round robin competition. Earlier in the day, Athens Olympic gold medallists China whipped winless Kenya 25-7, 25-15, 25-10 to keep third place on 23 points with a 73 record. Japan edged past Germany 25-20, 23-25, 25-27, 25-17, 15-12 for 21 points to keep alive a slim hope of finishing third. Germany, who have 20 points, will play China on the final day Friday.

Milestones meaningless if not for win: Saeed Anwar LAHoRe STAFF RePORT

Pakistan’s former Test cricketer Saeed Anwar has said individual landmarks are meaningless if they do not contribute to the team’s victory. Speaking on ICC Radio, Anwar said: “I don’t see any value in batsmen making big runs, establishing records but not winning matches for their sides.

Pakistan and India should be praised for providing joy and entertainment to world cricket” Former Pakistan captain and one of the most destructive openers Saeed Anwar reflected on his career in which he scored 12,904 international runs, including 31 centuries and 68 half-centuries.

Saeed, who played 55 Tests (seven as captain) and 247 ODIs (11 as captain) between 1989 and 2003, said: “I have no regrets from whatever cricket I played and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The good thing about my career was not individual performances but collectively the Pakistan

team won a lot which is the most satisfying part. The most memorable thing for me was that I played in an era when Pakistan had its best-ever side.

“High and lows are part of a batsman’s life, especially for an opener. The best teams in my era were India and Australia and my objective was to score against these two teams. I was lucky enough to score against both the sides.”

In Tests, Saeed averaged 59 against Australia and 58.80 against India while his average against the two countries in ODIs was 23.55 and 43.5, respectively. Saeed also relives memories of his magnificent 194 in an ODI against India in Chennai in 1997 (a record until it was equaled by Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry in August 2009 before it was broken by Sachin Tendulkar in 2010) and then his 188 not out in the second innings of the Kolkata Test against the same opposition in 1999. “My style was a bit different. I was never a kind of a person who would score big runs and set individual

records. My main aim was to play such cricket which could entertain the spectators and crowd, while playing for the team at the same time. “The best thing about these two innings was that we won on both occasions. I don’t see any value in making big runs, establishing records but not winning matches. A player should play such an innings that his side should win.

“I really rate Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting very high because whenever they have scored runs, their teams have mostly won,” says Saeed who started his career with a pair against the West Indies in Faisalabad in 1990. Saeed also speaks about his all-time favourite cricketer, batsmen he admires most, the most difficult bowlers he faced in his career and his most memorable international innings.

The show can be used in whole or part by radio stations that want free cricket content for editorial use, while the public can also download it straight from www.icccricket.com or from iTunes.

Sohail’s first wife accuses him of harassment

LAHoRe STAFF RePORT

The row between Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir and his first wife Nosheen Agha took a new twist as the cricketer is now accused of harassing her. According to reports, after the police refused to register a formal complaint against Tanvir, Nosheen has now resorted to assistant commissioner in Islamabad for registration of an FIR against the cricketer for harassing her. Nosheen had earlier filed a similar application for registration of a case at the Shalimar police station but the police authorities didn't register the case and instead initiated the legal procedure of reconciliation between both the parties. The assistant commissioner, Captain Farid, heard the case on Wednesday. Nosheen appeared in court and said she was not happy and had reservations over the reconciliation process with Tanvir. The feud between husband and wife started after Tanvir married another girl forcing Nosheen to come on TV and claim that he had entered into the second marriage without informing her.

ISB pages 18-11-11_Layout 1 11/18/2011 3:25 AM Page 21

Friday, 18 November, 2011

Sports 21

DUBAI: Pakistan team players stretch during a practice session at the Dubai Cricket Stadium ahead of the third one-day international. AfP

wAtcH It LIve TEN CRICKET South Africa v Australia - 2nd Test Day 2 01:30PM

TEN SPORTS Mobilink Jazz Cup: Pakistan v SL, 3rd ODI 04:00PM

Serena set to marry boyfriend drake

neW YoRK AGeNCIeS

Former world no. 1 tennis player Serena Williams is going to marry her boy friend rapper Drake, who has just dropped his new record “Take Care”.

The 13-time singles Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has been enjoying her off court season and planning to marry in the next three months. In August, Drake and Serena enjoyed spending time together at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, where she won the 38th career WTA singles title. Serena withdrew from the all the WTA Championships this year with toe injury and will return back strongly next year at 2012 Brisbane International tournament. The pair was also spotted at the tennis courts together in South Florida. Drake said that he was proud to love her with all his heart and he cannot wait for her to put in new album. The American tennis star has not announced any official massage on her marriage with rapper Drake so far.

Serena wants to focus on her tennis career at the moment, where she is working hard on her fitness to come back on to court. The 30-year-old Serena said she will play next tournament at Brisbane International WTA event, schedule to kick off on January 2 to 9, before heading into the year’s first Grand Slam Australian Open.

Hurt Aussies storm back as Proteas collapse JoHAnneSBURg AFP

Teenage debutant Pat Cummins celebrated a "brilliant day" after Australia sent South Africa tumbling to 266 all out on the first day of the second and final Test at the Wanderers on Thursday. Cummins only took one wicket but generated impressive pace after becoming the second youngest Australian to play Test cricket.

"It was pretty exciting," said Cummins of a day when Australia played themselves into contention for a win which would earn them a share of the series following an eight-wicket defeat in the first Test in Cape Town. Cummins, 18, who said being handed his baggy green cap by Australian great Ricky Ponting was "really special," paid tribute to his fellow bowlers.

"We bowled in good partnerships.

Mitchell Johnson got some swing and I could concentrate on being aggressive while Siddy (Peter Siddle) got in their face a bit and it worked," he said.

South Africa lost their last six wickets for 25 runs on what looked a good batting pitch, although South African batsman Jacques Kallis said there was some life in the surface which the home team's fast bowlers hoped to exploit.

A depleted Australian bowling attack could not have hoped for a better day. Fast bowler Ryan Harris could not play because of a back injury while all-rounder Shane Watson pulled up with a hamstring injury five balls into his fourth over. He was off the field for more than two hours.

Kallis, AB de Villiers and Ashwell

SCOReBOARD

shooting australia for 47 special experience

SOUTH AFRICA, first innings J. Rudolph c Haddin b Watson 30 G. Smith c Clarke b Johnson 11 H. Amla c Ponting b Cummins 19 J. Kallis c Khawaja b Siddle 54 A. de Villiers c Cummins b Siddle 64 A. Prince c Johnson b Lyon 50 M. Boucher c Lyon b Siddle 3 V. Philander lbw b Lyon 0 D. Steyn not out 15 M. Morkel c Watson b Clarke 6 Imran Tahir c Hughes b Clarke 0 exTRAS (b9, lb2, nb1, w2) 14 TOTAL (71 overs) 266 Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Smith), 2-43 (Rudolph), 3-123 (Kallis), 4-129 (Amla), 5-241 (Prince), 6-243 (De Villiers), 7-243 (Philander), 8-245 (Boucher), 9-258 (Morkel) Bowling: Johnson 16.1-1-67-1 (1nb), Cummins 15-3-38-1, Siddle 15-4-69-3, Watson 3.5-1-13-1, Lyon 13-2-52-2, Hussey 4-0-10-0 (2w), Clarke 4-1-6-2 Australia: Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (wkt), Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Patrick Cummins, Nathan Lyon TOSS: South Africa, UMPIReS: Billy Bowden (NZL), Ian Gould (eNG), TV UMPIRe: Billy Doctrove (WIS), MATCH ReFeRee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)

Prince all made half-centuries for the host nation but failed to kick on, while South Africa's two best partnerships ended with both partners out in quick succession.

Kallis and Hashim Amla put on 80 for the third wicket before Kallis, who made a stroke-filled 54 off 41 balls, prodded a catch to midwicket.

He was followed soon afterwards by Amla, who played a loose drive against Pat Cummins to be caught at second slip after a patient innings of 19.

De Villiers and Prince added 112 for the fifth wicket before Prince's dismissal for 50, caught at mid-on off a poor shot against Nathan Lyon, sparked South Africa's collapse soon after tea.

exPeRT COMMeNT

ALLAN dONALd

T

JOHANNeSbURg: South African Ashwell Prince tries to duck a bouncer on the first day of the second test against Australia. AfP

HE guys went out and did something unbelievably special at Newlands last week, something a lot of people dream about. To be at the forefront of something extremely special and to beat Australia on South African soil would be the pinnacle.

Gary has always mentioned small steps and we are one Test match away from hopefully something very special. We are going to focus on what we have to do and do it well to try and win this Test series here in South Africa. It's not been done before for a very long time.

People in the street might be saying, 'What a bowling coach,' but what a load of rubbish. It's not rocket science what happened in that second innings. We did a job

and it was freakish how it turned out. I don't think we will see another pitch as friendly as the Newlands one. At the Wanderers, you've got to be fairly spot on, there's a bit of bounce and a bit of carry that keeps the bowlers interested but if you do tend to get loose on this pitch, batters will be able to score square of the wicket on both sides.

The Wanderers track is traditionally known to be good for Test cricket. It looked a belter of a track, maybe slightly on the soft side. Chris Scott (Wanderers groundsman) has flooded it to stop it from cracking.

It's sometimes very difficult for a spinner when you come onto a wicket like that, that is responsive to seam bowling. More often than not, you will see a guy like that not bowl very much. Imran comes in and when the time is right and the surface is right, he will definitely play a massive part.

Johnson is a bit slingy at the moment. That's for the Aussies to sort out. He is a match-winner so he will find a way of getting back.

He is not in the team just to make up the numbers.

In any case, we expect Australia to bounce back heavily.

Excerpts fro an interview

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Former president likely to postpone scheduled return to Pakistan ISLAMABAD

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IRFAN BUKHARI

FTER failing to establish his political party – the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) – on firm footing despite exaggerated hopes and claims, former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf has decided to fully support Imran Khan to help the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) break the status quo in the country.

A source in the APML told Pakistan Today that Musharraf had decided to let Imran’s party become the third force in the country to end the political monopoly of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. “As Musharraf’s brainchild APML has failed to attract the masses, he has now pinned hopes on Imran to break the status quo,” said an APML leader seeking not to be attributed.

Musharraf’s growing fondness for Imran can also be gauged from his recent interviews in which he went an extra mile to defend the former cricket captain.

In his interview with Indian journalist Barkha Datt, Musharraf termed Imran the best among the existing lot of Pakistani politicians. Responding to another query by a journalist in the United States about Imran’s proximity with the Tal-

iban, the former military dictator defended him, saying he was liberal and could not be dubbed as Taliban’s supporter or sympathiser.

An APML leader said Musharraf had developed a soft corner for Imran as both were following the same line of political action which was to end the status quo in the country. “Musharraf always welcomed the emergence of a third force in the country to get the masses freed from the clutches of conventional politicians of the PPP and PML-N… Imran Khan’s harsh stance against the Sharifs has also pushed Musharraf to praise and silently

support the PTI,” he added. The APML leader claimed that Imran was also passing positive overtures to Musharraf. “For the last many months, the PTI chairman passed no harsh remarks about Musharraf and he also barred his party’s foreign chapters from staging protest demonstrations outside venues where Musharraf delivered lectures,” he said.

Commenting on the growing proximity between Musharraf’s APML and PTI, a close aide of the former president said due to a possible anti-Musharraf onslaught by the media, Imran’s party was not publicly extending political contacts

with the APML. “With the passage of time, both parties will openly join each other to pursue a single point agenda of change,” he said.

Another source in the APML said that after pinning hopes on Imran, Musharraf had postponed his plan of returning to the country on March 23 next year.

When contacted, APML spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said his party supported Imran’s aim of breaking the status quo.

“Musharraf also supported the emergence of a third force in the country, but we think Imran alone cannot bring change until he is supported by the PMLF, PML-Likeminded, the PML-Q minus the Chaudhrys and the APML,” he said.

Fawad said APML leaders would meet Musharraf on November 22-23 in Dubai in which the schedule and venue of Musharraf’s return would be decided.

“We hope Musharraf will return to the country in January or February next year, before the earlier announced date of March 23,” he added. PTI spokesman Zahid Kazmi said the PTI was in contact with Musharraf and there were chances of future political cooperation between the two parties. “We welcome Musharraf’s remarks about Imran as we always welcome truth … but we cannot afford the heavy baggage of former military dictator,” he said.

US drone strike kills four in NwA MIRAnSHAH AFP

US drones fired missiles into a compound in northwest Pakistan where militants gathered on Thursday, killing at least four in North Waziristan. Pakistani officials said unmanned American aircraft fired four missiles into the building in the Razmak area, 60 kilometres south of the agency’s headquarters Miranshah. Officials were divided on the death toll, with three different sources claiming the numbers of dead were variously four, five and seven. “The target was a compound. The militants were in a room that was hit. Four were killed, three were wounded,” said a senior Pakistani official. “Four missiles were fired on the compound in Badamshah village,” he added.

Thursday’s strike was the 64th reported in Pakistan’s tribal belt so far this year, according to an AFP tally.

PHC judge resigns after being denied seniority PeSHAWAR ONLINe

Peshawar High Court Justice Shahjahan resigned on Thursday for being ignored in the seniority list. According to media reports, Justice Shahjahan resigned in protest after the swearing-in of Justice Dost Muhammad as the PHC chief justice at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor’s House. He has sent his resignation to the president. Justice Shahjahan belongs to Mardan and had been serving as a PHC judge since 1995 and was at the top of the seniority list.

RAIWIND: Participants of the annual Tablighi Ijtima arrive at the venue on the first day of the religious gathering on Thursday. inP

Mike Mullen did receive ‘the memo’ WASHIngton ONLINe

Former US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen has confirmed that he received a memo from Mansoor Ijaz, a Pakistani-American businessman who alleged in a column in the Financial Times last month that “a senior Pakistani diplomat” asked for assistance in getting a memo from President Asif Ali Zardari to Admiral Mullen.

Ijaz had alleged that Zardari feared a military takeover following the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May and brought unprecedented public scrutiny on Pakistani leaders.

Mullen initially said that he did not know the man who claimed to have delivered him a message from President Zardari, nor did he recall receiving any correspondence from him. However, when asked about the memo referred to in the Financial Times column, Captain John Kirby, who was Mullen’s spokesman until the admiral stepped down earlier this year, said Mullen initially had no recollection of such a memo but was later able to track it down.

“Neither the contents of the memo nor the proof of its existence altered or affected in any way the manner in which Admiral Mullen conducted himself in his relationship with (Pakistani Chief of Army Staff) General (Ashfaq Parvez) Kayani and the Pakistani government,” Kirby said. “He did not find it at all credible and took no note of it,” he added.

MQM denies party workers fleeing to Malaysia KARACHI AFTAB CHANNA

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has rejected claims made by some suspected target killers currently in police custody that the party leadership has asked several of its activists to leave Pakistan for Malaysia, where the MQM has reportedly established a parallel set up like its international secretariat in London.

Sources in the law enforcement agencies told Pakistan Today that several suspected target killers arrested in Karachi, including Habibur Rehman, Sultan Ahmed, Murad Akhtar, Jamal

Abdul Nasir, Tahir Ali alias Toapchi, Imran alias Lamba, Shahrukh Nafees alias Sharu, Atif Rasheed, Akram alias Aku, Anas Bin Haroon, Syed Abu Irfan alias Urfi and Waseem Ahmed alias Baroodi, had turned out to be active members of the MQM. The suspected assassins reportedly claimed during investigations that they had been ordered to leave the country in case the circumstances changed in London with regard to the investigations into the murder of MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq and in the expected backdrop of Zulfiqar Mirza approaching the Scotland Yard against MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

Rejecting the claims, MQM Central

Information Committee member Nasir Jamal told Pakistan Today, “No one is going anywhere as everything is normal with the party. Party leaders and activists are attending their offices and it is business as usual.”

He said that the MQM did not have any parallel set up in Malaysia or any other part of the world. “The MQM has always supported operation against killers and anti-social elements. The party has always been a victim of media speculations like in the case of the murder of Hakeem Saeed and others. However, these allegations were proven false in the courts,” Jamal said, adding that it was “easy to level allegations and the media is

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no proper platform for such allegations”.

Meanwhile, sources said the arrested target killers had also claimed that a senior party leader had been assigned the task to help the activists leave the country through sea. More than 300 workers have already reached Malaysia to run the new set up there, the sources said, adding that they have reached Malaysia from various countries, including Singapore, South Africa, Belgium, Australia and Dubai.

The sources said that Zulfiqar Mirza had recently sent some of his trusted associates to Malaysia and they had been successful in obtaining credible evidence into the setting up of a MQM secretariat in the country.